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Matt Hancock fights back tears as he reveals his step-grandfather died from Covid

Watch: Emotional Matt Hancock tells MPs of death in his family from Covid-19

Matt Hancock fought back tears as he told MPs that his step-grandfather had died after contracting Covid-19 in Liverpool.

The Health Secretary was speaking in the House of Commons ahead of a vote on the Government’s tougher Tier system of restrictions

The new arrangements will come into force on Wednesday, putting 99 per cent of England in the toughest Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions.

<p>BRITAIN-HEALTH-VIRUS-POLITICS</p> (AFP via Getty Images)

BRITAIN-HEALTH-VIRUS-POLITICS

(AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Hancock made an emotional appeal to rebels in his own party, citing the loss of his own step-grandfather to the virus.

“In my family, as in so many others, we’ve lost a loving husband, a father, a grandfather to this awful disease,” he said.

“So from the bottom of my heart I want to say thank you to everyone in Liverpool for getting this awful virus under control.

“It’s down by four-fifths in Liverpool, that’s what we can do if we work together in a spirit of common humanity. We’ve got to beat this, we’ve got to beat it together.”

Mr Hancock said his step-grandfather died on November 18.

Watch: How will the new tiers system be reviewed?

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