The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus has called on the Government to provide “urgent clarity” on restrictions in Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley and other areas where the Indian variant is spreading.

Official guidance has been updated to advise against all but essential travel in Bedford, Blackburn and Darwen, Bolton, Burnley, Kirklees, Leicester, Hounslow, and North Tyneside, where the variant is growing fastest.

UPDATE: No new restrictions for Blackburn or Burnley after 'an utterly chaotic day'

The guidance appears to have been changed last week without an official announcement and Layla Moran, who chairs the APPG on Coronavirus, said this risked causing “confusion and uncertainty”.

She said: “This is a major change to policy that will have a huge impact on people’s lives. Simply updating the Government website without an official announcement is a recipe for confusion and uncertainty.

“Local people and public health leaders in these areas need urgent clarity from the Government. Matt Hancock must come before Parliament and make a public statement to explain these new rules.

“It seems crucial lessons have still not been learnt about the importance of clear messaging during a pandemic.

Yasmin Qureshi, Labour MP for Bolton South East and shadow international development minister, said: “I was not informed of this and I understand nor was anyone else in Bolton.

“I’m just gobsmacked. They’re making such an important announcement and they don’t even have the decency to tell us or tell our constituents.

“The least I would expect is a letter or email from (Matt Hancock) or his office as a matter of courtesy.

“Further and more importantly, my constituents needed to know. Many will have planned for the long weekend, bought tickets, made arrangements.

“And it’s still not clear if this is advisory or legally obligatory.

“This is typical of this Government’s incompetence.”