A NEW Forest MP has described the latest coronavirus descriptions as “pettifogging malice”.

Prime minister Boris Johnson addressed the House of Commons today to discuss the new restrictions imposed by the government.

And speaking of the restrictions to Mr Johnson, Sir Desmond Swayne, MP for New Forest West, said the restrictions were placing undue emphasis on petty details.

Sir Desmond said: “Pubs can’t compete with supermarkets for off sales, even within a household you can’t play tennis, or golf.

“Notwithstanding the assault on liberty and livelihoods, why are these regulations pervaded by a pettifogging malice.”

In response, Mr Johnson said: “Pettifogging, yes, malicious, no.

“The intention, and I am going to have to take the hit here, the intention is to stop the virus, protect the NHS and to save lives.

“To do that, we have to engage in restricted transmission between human beings. I know that by right honourable friend will find all sorts of reasons to oppose all sorts of restrictions but in the end, we have to look at the overall budget of risk caused by transmission between members of the human race and that is what we are trying to restrain.”