Devon MPs from both Conservative and Labour parties have called for the Government to go ahead and lift all remaining Covid restrictions on June 21.

Step 4 of the roadmap out of lockdown would remove all remaining legal limits on social contact, ease restrictions on large events and reopen premises such as nightclubs which have remained closed.

Social distancing, compulsory face masks and working from home are also due to be reviewed, and the restrictions could be removed.

But the relaxing of the rules has been thrown into doubt by the recent rise in cases being confirmed, as well as the Delta variant, first seen in India, which is thought to be about 40 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha (Kent) strain.

However, with deaths and hospitalisations staying low, and with Devon having some of the lowest Covid rates in England, the county's MPs have urged the Government not to delay the planned lifted of restrictions on June 21.

Latest figures show that there is just one person in hospital in Devon following a positive Covid-19 test, while there have been no deaths in the county since May 9, and infection rates are the lowest they have been since September 2.

What the MP for this area said

The Conservative MP for Newton Abbot, Anne Marie Morris, who voted against the third lockdown, said: "Given the specific situation we find ourselves presented with in Devon (both health-wise and economy-wise) I would urge the Government not to delay the planned lifting of restrictions on June 21.

"While the latest steps have helped the local economy begin to get back on its feet, it won't be until all restrictions are lifted that we will be able to enjoy the full freedom that we desperately all want.

"The vaccination rollout has been a stunning success and this should allow us to re-open with confidence. We cannot keep flinching at the slightest sign of every potential new variant. It's damaging to physical and mental health and the economy."

Other Devon Conservative MPs have also said they hope to see the restrictions lifted.

The Labour MP for Exeter, Ben Bradshaw, has called for the measures that affect the economy to end on June 21 – but said there may be an argument for continuing with other precautions such as working from home where possible and wearing face protection in enclosed public spaces.

Central Devon MP Mel Stride said the decision was 'finely balanced', but his hope and expectation was for June 21 to go ahead.

No decision on whether to proceed to step 4, or delay the step, will be taken until June 14, so that the full four weeks of data since the relaxation of step 3 on May 17 can be seen.

The Government says the decision will be based on four tests – that the vaccine deployment programme continues successfully, the evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated, infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS, and the assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of concern.