Tougher lockdown rules set to come into effect for millions of Northerners from Monday

The ‘North’ is set to be hit with tougher lockdown rules from Monday due to rising coronavirus cases. 

According to reports this morning, Boris Johnson is set to close pubs and restaurants in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.

However, local leaders across the North West and other MPs might rebel, including top Tories who have begged the PM to not follow Scotland. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former Cabinet minister, has warned the PM that there would be a major Tory rebellion if similar rules to Scotland are put in place.

The new three-tier lockdown system looks set to be unveiled next week. 

Those areas put in Tier 1 will see the current national social distancing measures, continuing with a 10pm curfew on hospitality venues and the Rule of Six.

Areas put in Tier 2 will see the same restrictions, as well as a ban on household mixing. Areas put in Tier 3, which possibly includes the North West and North East, will see hospitality venues including pubs and restaurants closed.

Additionally, areas in Tier 3 will no longer be allowed to mix households, and will continue to abide by the national social distancing rules such as wearing a face mask.

Schools, work and retail shops will remain open, however.

The measures are likely to be temporary, The Sun reports – ‘certainly for a number of weeks’ – however the full length of the measures has yet to be fully agreed. 

Minister Jake Berry, a former close ally of Boris Johnson, said: “It would be economic suicide for England to follow this path.”

The North West saw a 56% rise in the seven days to October 1st in coronavirus cases, while the North East had a 46% rise.

This comes after Andy Burnham warned the prime minister that the North would resist any lockdown if they are not made aware of changes and weren’t planned with local leaders.

He said: “We will not have a tier system imposed upon us without us having the ability to see and agree the detail.”

Mr Burnham added: “We cannot have a repeat of the situation we saw in Bolton, where people behind bars or in kitchens were basically told from one day to the next that they had no job to go to or local furlough scheme to fall back on.”

Tory MPs are threatening to work with Labour to defeat the government in the Commons vote regarding the 10pm pub curfew next week.