PLANS to exclude local test-and-trace schemes in England’s Tier 1 and Tier 2 lockdown areas from extra government funding were slammed as “indefensible” today.

On Monday, PM Boris Johnson announced that £1 billion of “new financial support” would be provided to local authorities in all three tiers of the local lockdown system, but that only regions in “very high alert,” Tier 3, would receive extra funds for locally run testing and tracing.

MPs were expected to vote through the three-tier system last night, with measures taking effect from Wednesday.