Dorset MP Richard Drax says the latest Government Covid regulations will destroy the lives of millions of people and insisted: “We will never defeat this virus so we need to learn to live with it and get on with our lives.”

The Conservative MP for South Dorset is taking a stand against his own party to demand a rethink on the new strict policies, which he claims will ruin livelihoods, wreck the economy, destroy vital life experiences for younger people and lead to thousands of unnecessary deaths from suicide and suspended medical treatment for other conditions.

His comments come after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new measures to slow down the spread of the virus ahead of the winter season, including 10pm curfews for pubs and restaurants, compulsory mask wearing for all retail workers and shoppers and a ban on indoor team sports.

Meanwhile, the government’s ‘rule of six’ banning people from meeting in groups of larger than six have been retained, whilst workers have been advised to work from home where they can.

The regulations have been announced ahead of the Coronavirus Bill – which has dramatically extended the government’s ability to change day-to-day life with sweeping national policies – coming before the House of Commons on September 30.

Mr Drax revealed an amendment to the Bill had been drawn up which would, in effect, mean any Government proposals for national regulations would first have to go before the House of Commons to be debated by MPs before being implemented.

He said if for any reason the amendment was unable to be called, he would ‘regrettably’ have to consider voting against the Coronavirus Bill as a whole – against the Tory party line.

Commenting on the latest regulations, Mr Drax said: “This is going to ruin millions of people’s lives. We already are doing.

“I’m not making a personal comment against the scientists and the medical teams that are advising the government but there are is another team of many other well respected scientists who disagree fundamentally with what they are saying.

“I was supportive of the first lockdown. At the time it was an unprecedented situation and nobody understood the virus but I think a major rethink is now needed as we understand it more.

“If we shut down the country again, what is going to happen when society goes back? Is the virus not going to re-emerge? Of course it is.

“We are never going to defeat it. Like all viruses it is probably going to be here with us for the rest of our lives and like other viruses, let’s take flu for example, even when a vaccine is found, people still get flu.

“We are not going to beat this. We have to learn to live with it and get on with our lives and get the economy going, which we are not doing at the moment.

“The route we are travelling with this is incredibly destructive. I am appalled by what I have been hearing. Thousands of jobs are being lost, our young people at university, for example, are going to miss out on all the experiences that are a vital part of growing up and many people who are ill with other conditions are going to suffer.”

The MP said those who were vulnerable, predominantly the elderly, were ‘wise enough’ to make up their own minds on how to live their lives.

“I have spoken to a number of elderly people who said they don’t want to be told what to do or how to live life. They are old enough and wise enough to make their own decisions on what they want to do," he added.

“Since I have come out publicly and shared my views on this, I have had an overwhelming amount of support from people who agree and there is a growing number of MPs who are feeling the same.

“It needs challenging. Where is the common sense?”