A second lockdown is needed to "contain the surge" in Covid cases, Boris Johnson has told MPs, as they vote on new restrictions in England.
The PM is likely to win the vote, with Labour's help - but around 20 Tory MPs could vote against the move, saying it will wreck businesses and lives.
A four-week lockdown which includes the closure of pubs, gyms and non-essential shops is due to start at midnight.
Mr Johnson said it was "not something any of us wanted to do".
But he added: "I am not prepared to take the risk with the lives of British people."
MPs are voting now on the measures, which will replace the three-tiers of regional restrictions across England for four weeks, until 2 December, when the tiers will be re-imposed.
The Scottish National Party has said it will not take part in the vote. In Scotland, a new five tier restrictions system came into force on Monday. Wales is in a "firebreak" lockdown until 9 November and Northern Ireland is also under tighter restrictions.
'Failed strategy'
Tory rebels - and several Labour MPs from the North-West of England - said England's tiered system, brought in two weeks ago, had not been given a chance.
Mr Johnson's predecessor as prime minister, Theresa May, said: "The evidence is, from Liverpool, that cases are falling."
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith echoed Mrs May's point and said the data presented to ministers to justify the lockdown had "subsequently unravelled in the last few days".
Shipley MP Philip Davies said: "Nobody voting for this motion tonight is offering to sacrifice their own job in order to pursue this lockdown policy - of course not. They are just expecting millions of others in our country to sacrifice their jobs to pursue this policy.
"I never thought I would see the day a so-called Conservative minister would stand up and urge Parliament to further sacrifice our most basic of freedoms, collapse the economy and destroy jobs - all to pursue a failed strategy."
Another Tory rebel, former chief whip, Mark Harper said: "We have acted too soon because we are starting to see the tier system working."
'Safest path'
Mr Johnson said Mr Harper was "wrong" and the data showed hospitalisations mounting steadily, adding: "The curve is already unmistakeable."
"While it pains me to call for such restrictions on lives, liberty and business I have no doubt that these restrictions represent the best and safest path for our country".
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party would be backing the government in the Commons vote later, but added: "Nobody votes for the regulations today with anything other than a heavy heart."
He urged the prime minister to use the four week lockdown to come up with "something better" than the three tier system, as it was "not working".
Earlier at Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir accused Mr Johnson of "ignoring" the advice of government scientists who called for a brief "circuit breaker" lockdown in September.
"Does the prime minister understand the human cost of his delay in acting?" he asked Mr Johnson.
The PM said it was "always right to pursue a local and a regional approach," adding that it was "showing signs of working".
Mr Johnson insisted the lockdown will expire automatically on 2 December and he hopes "very much" to "get this country going again" in the run up to Christmas.
"But that depends on us all doing our bit now to make sure that we get the R [infection rate] down.
"I've no doubt that we can, and that we'll be able to go forward from 2 December with a very, very different approach - but, of course, it will be up to the House of Commons to decide, thereafter, what to do."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiL2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLXBvbGl0aWNzLTU0ODEzNjE10gEzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3VrLXBvbGl0aWNzLTU0ODEzNjE1?oc=5
2020-11-04 16:01:00Z
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