England’s new Covid tier system has a “sunset” expiry date of 3 February, Boris Johnson has told MPs in a bid to prevent a Commons rebellion.

The current lockdown ends on Wednesday, and many Tory MPs are unhappy with the toughened tiers that will replace it.

MPs will vote on the system on Tuesday, with Labour undecided on its stance.

In a letter to MPs, the PM said rules could be eased in December, MPs could vote again in January, and the tier system could end in February.

And writing separately in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Johnson said he believed Easter would mark a “real chance to return to something like life as normal”.

He warned, however, there would be “disastrous consequences” for the NHS if the government did not introduce the new tiered system when lockdown ends.

England’s new system will see regions placed in one of three tiers: medium, high and very high.

In total, 99% of England will enter the highest two tiers, with tight restrictions on bars and restaurants and a ban on households mixing indoors. Only Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly will be in the lowest tier.

In a bid to quell MPs’ concerns, Mr Johnson wrote to them outlining a timeline of when – and how – the tiered approach will end.