ENGLAND'S coronavirus restrictions tier system is “the worst of all worlds”, an expert has said.

Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews, told the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus that the three-tier approach was a “good idea in principle” if it provided clarity and equity.

However, Reicher, who is also a member of Sage, said there was a lack of clarity over what criteria was being used to place areas in different tiers, with variations of measures even within certain tiers.

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He said: “So we have the worst of all worlds, we have a system where there is no sense of clarity. There is a growing sense of inequity and resistance.”

Reicher warned if resistance was “politicised” it could risk bringing “polarisation”, as seen in the United States.

He added: “A tier system isn’t bad in and of itself, the way it’s been applied I think has been disastrous and is leading to political paralysis when we need action really quickly because infections are spiking.”

The Scottish Government is due to publish details on its new strategic framework for fighting coronavirus later this week.

The framework will include plans for a new tiered approach to local lockdowns, which the First Minister has indicated will go further than those in place south of the Border.