Orpington's MP is calling for the area to remain under lenient coronavirus restrictions as it is "more akin to Kent" than boroughs closer to London's centre.

Gareth Bacon wrote to Health Secretary Matt Hancock this week expressing concern about the prospect of a city-wide lockdown, after Mayor Sadiq Khan suggested the prospect was 'inevitable' under the Government's new tier system.

Highlighting the low rate of infection in Bromley, Mr Bacon called for measures that are proportionate to the borough itself, rather than London as a whole.

He said: "In March, acting as one city was plausible given the significant number of people commuting across London; however this is no longer the case.

"With the Government once again advising people to work from home if they can, London is no longer moving in the same way. Nor is the virus.

"My constituency of Orpington, within the Borough of Bromley, is more akin to Kent than to other London boroughs within the capital's centre.

"My constituents and local businesses are hopeful that if additional measures from Tier 1 are necessary, they would be proportionate to the spread of coronavirus in Bromley, not London as a whole."

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Bromley currently has the second lowest rate of infection in London, with 70.1 cases per 100,000 people according to the most recent figures.

Only Bexley has a lower rate, at 68.5 per 100,000.

MPs in the capital have been told London will move to Tier 2 at midnight on Friday, meaning households will be banned from mixing indoors - including in pubs - from Saturday.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan told City Hall the expected move to Tier 2 is based on "expert public health and scientific advice about what is necessary to save lives in the capital" but stressed that he was pushing for extra support from the Government.

Bromley and Chislehurst MP Sir Bob Neill said the "one-size-fits-all approach" to move the whole of London into Tier 2 restrictions is a mistake.

The senior Conservative told Sky News: "I think it's a mistake. I think it's disproportionate for the whole of London.

"I can see some parts of London the test is met, but... there is a cluster of south-east and southern London boroughs where the rates are very much lower.

"And although they are increasing I think to move this way for the whole of London, this one-size-fits-all approach, is a mistake because of the very real harm it will do to businesses."