Merseyside will be the first to face the strictest ‘Level 3’ lockdown and could be under measures for SIX MONTHS

MERSEYSIDE appears to be the first area to enter the strictest level of England’s new three-tier lockdown system, and the measures could last SIX months.

If the Prime Minister gives the green light to the plans, pubs, bars and gyms will close, only one home or bubble will be allowed to gather indoors, and travel into or out of the affected area will be limited.

⚠️ Read our live coronavirus blog for the latest news and updates

9

9

9

9

Restaurants, schools and universities will remain open.

Greater Manchester, parts of West Yorkshire and other areas with high infection rates could also face the strict new laws in the coming weeks.

But Steve Rotherham, Labor mayor of the Liverpool city region, has criticized the claims tonight, saying no agreement has been reached with the government.

And final arrangements won’t be formally made until tomorrow, which means the situation can still change overnight.

“The government has made it clear from the outset that it plans to place the Liverpool city region on the third tier and plans to announce this tomorrow,” Rotherham said.

“No agreement has yet been reached on this point and negotiations are ongoing.”

And the leaders of the Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with the Darwen Council, the Blackpool Council and the 12 Lancashire District Councils have issued a statement.

They said: “We share the same goals with the central government: protect our residents, protect our economy and protect our NHS.”

“But we need more details from the government about their proposals and, in particular, what the differences will be between the tiers in the new planned system.”

Local leaders have made calls with senior officials requesting a monthly review of the situation, Sky News reports.

The measure has yet to be signed by Boris Johnson, who will make a national speech on the new three-tier lockdown tomorrow.

It occurs when the prime minister tonight has a conference call with members of the cabinet.

Johnson’s decision to brief cabinet ministers on a Sunday is a rare move, and Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Leese says there is a “great gulf” in discussions about new restrictions.

He told Times Radio: “It seems we have a near impossible task of penetrating the Westminster bubble.”

Liverpool recorded the second highest infection rate in the country in the two weeks to October 4.

There were 4,593 confirmed cases, or 928.2 per 100,000 people.

The neighboring Knowsley council area was the best, with 1,412 cases and an infection rate of 944.

Northern leaders have begged the prime minister not to close pubs on Monday, saying “restrictions on the coronavirus are starting to work.”

Senior strategic adviser Sir Edward Lister wrote to MPs after meeting with council heads on Thursday.

In a letter shared online, Sir Edward stated that the “increasing incidence” of Covid in parts of the country means that certain local areas are “very likely” to face “additional restrictions.”

The letter adds: “The government will discuss a set of measures with local leaders, all of which present difficult options.”

But five MPs have warned of the “devastating impact” of closing businesses like bars.

In a letter, they said that “jobs, livelihoods and businesses” would be damaged and that this would lead to more illegal gatherings.

They argued that a large proportion of the cases occurred among students and were limited to residences.

The proposed system is expected to see different parts of England classified into different categories, with areas at the highest level facing the toughest measures.

Daily cases of Covid-19 in the UK have dropped by more than 2,000 in the last 24 hours, as 12,872 tested positive for the virus and 65 died.

Cases have nearly tripled in the past two weeks, with a total of 603,716 people testing positive for coronavirus in Britain.

Meanwhile, one of the British government’s top medical advisers has warned that the country is at a ‘tipping point’ in its battle against the pandemic.

England’s deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, said in a statement that the British are in a position similar to that reached in March.

The UK has experienced the deadliest outbreak in Europe with more than 42,750 deaths.

Professor Van-Tam urged people to adhere to key hygiene and social distancing measures to keep transmission low and prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed.

The decision to apply more tough measures in the north comes after shocking new government graphics showed that the northwest and northeast are at a critical point.

However, in the south of England infection rates have remained practically stable.

Professor Chris Whitty said the two regions had seen a “rapid increase” in infections, even though large swaths of both areas were under local lockdown.

But earlier this week, Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer gave Johnson “proof” that regional closures “don’t work.”

During a fierce clash in the Commons, Sir Keir said: “Today marks 100 days since the first local restrictions were implemented.

“20 local areas have been under restrictions for two months, in 19 of those areas infection rates have increased.

“It’s obvious that something went wrong here.”