PIERS Morgan's son has been criticised for "escaping" to Tier 2 Sussex from London just before the capital was escalated to Tier 4.

Spencer Morgan, the Good Morning Britain Host's eldest son, took to Twitter on Saturday to tell his 54,300-strong following that he had left the city "just in time".

The 27-year-old is reported to be staying at the family's home in Newick, near Lewes.

Spencer posted the comment at 9.35pm, less than six hours after Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that large areas of the South East would be escalated to a new Tier 4.

Starting at midnight on Saturday, these areas now face heightened restrictions similar to those implemented during the second national lockdown, with people urged to stay at home and not leave their local area.

They are also not able to mix with other households indoors on Christmas day.

The areas in Tier 4 are:

  • Hastings 
  • Rother 
  • London 
  • Kent and Medway 
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Berkshire
  • Surrey (excluding Waverley)
  •  Havant
  • Gosport
  • Portsmouth
  • Hertfordshire
  • Essex (excluding Tendring, Uttlesford and Colchester)
  • Central Bedfordshire
  • Bedford
  • Milton Keynes
  • Luton
  • Peterborough

But the majority of Sussex, including Newick, remains in Tier 2 and is under less stringent coronavirus restrictions as a result.

Spencer's Tweet read: "Escaping to our house in Sussex just in time."

He also included the hashtags "Tier 2" and "adapt and overcome".

But one commenter described the post as "tone deaf".

Another responded: "With the greatest respect Spencer, you are very lucky to have a ‘house in Sussex’ to escape to.

"I might suggest this is just a little selfish Tweet considering what others might be going through."

And a further person added: "Must be nice to be able to have multiple houses to escape to.

"Don’t blame you one bit, but don’t boast about it on here and rub our noses in it."

Spencer later posted a picture of the Sussex countryside with the caption: "On the plus side, Tier 2 ain't so bad."

The sports journalist has been vocal on social media about his opposition to the coronavirus lockdowns implemented in the UK, a viewpoint which has seen him clash with his father in recent months.

On November 1, Spencer shared the results of a YouGov poll which stated that three quarters of people in England backed plans for the second national lockdown.

He said: "Haha. Such BS. Literally not met a person who wants it apart from dad."

But his dad responded.

Piers said: "Nobody WANTS a lockdown. But most people, as this poll shows, believe one is now essential to control the virus and save lives.

"You shouldn’t judge the popularity of your own view on what Twitter says...it’s invariably wrong about absolutely everything."

It is not clear if Piers travelled to Sussex.