MPS voice fury over north-south divide expected to be created by new tier system

Concern grows that ‘Covid committee’ will reject pleas from politicians and refuse to relax harsh restrictions

‘We told the Government about the figures dropping dramatically so we are hopeful we will move to Tier 2’

FOR the first time in five weeks, Liverpool is hopeful.

Joe Anderson, the city’s mayor, has seen a “dramatic shift” in Covid cases since entering the toughest restrictions in the country on Oct 14.

“We told the Government about the figures dropping dramatically across the region, Matt Hancock is aware of the decrease to 162 per 100,000 compared with 700 five weeks ago, so we are hopeful we will move to Tier 2,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

Mr Anderson said the lower figures, coupled with the fact Liverpool will continue to conduct mass testing “makes the case” for the city to move down a level.

The crude understanding is that regions with high numbers of cases will face tighter measures, while those with fewer cases will have their restrictions relaxed.

However, government s ources hinted that despite its improved figures, Liverpool may be stuck within the harshest regulations.

A No 10 source said: “The Prime Minister made it clear (on Monday) that there would be more areas in higher tiers than before and that those areas already in higher tiers are still likely to be in higher tiers come Dec 2.”

Such negative news will test the nation’s waning resolve.

“It’s about doing the right thing for friends, family, our community and the city,” Mr Anderson added.

“If you do the right things and have to stay in higher tiers, is it worth it? From my point of view, we’ve done everything that was asked of us.”

When the second lockdown is lifted on Dec 2, the Joint Biosecurity Centre will help to decide the regional tiers, with the Covid “quad committee”, believed to have some discretion over the decision-making process. Members include Boris Johnson, Mr Hancock, Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove.

Instead of using an algorithm, as had been mooted, officials will look at a balance of five criteria: virus cases across all age groups, specifically among the over-60s, the rate at which cases are rising or falling, the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken and projected pressure on the NHS.

Analysis of virus rates by The Telegraph f ound that while the most infected areas in the North West and North East have seen a significant fall in cases, rates remain stubbornly high.

Infections have also been rising in previously less affected southern areas, suggesting tougher tiers are coming – and with them, another possible Tory revolt. Few areas have testing under control. MPS have argued that the new tiers lack “clarity” and will serve to do more damage to the economy.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, said the latest measures needed to be more specific.

“We don’t have the clarity. The tiers that are being envisaged, particularly the even more stringent Tier 3, would be extremely damaging for places that find themselves locked in it,” he told BBC Radio 4’s The World at One.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, is one of a number of MPS who represent constituencies in the south who are pushing back against being placed in the highest tiers by local public health authorities.

He accused the Government of treating the capital in a “cavalier way”.

“London is critical to the UK’S economy. Just the West End represents 4 per cent of GDP and it is completely dead.”

Bob Blackman, the Tory MP for Harrow East, said he believed the scientists “will be battling to get us into Tier 2”, adding: “Tier 3 is way above what other areas of the country are in terms of level of infection. We are arguing that the difference between the worst affected area and least in London is a three-fold difference.”

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “London going into Tier 2 next week would seem the right decision.”

He added that closing “London’s

‘It’s pretty clear that every place in Tier 1 will be in the south of England only’

unique ecosystem of bars, restaurants, clubs and cultural venues” throughout Christmas would be “a hammer blow”.

Shaun Bailey, the Tory mayoral candidate, told The Telegraph that business owners in the capital “have gone above and beyond to make their businesses Covid-safe” as he urged Mr Johnson to “protect the health of London’s economy”, adding: “The truth is that we can’t do that if London gets put into Tier 3 after the current lockdown has ended.”

He said that he hoped the tier decision would take into account Londoners’ “livelihoods” and “mental health”.

Amid growing resentment at a perceived “north- south divide”, Tory Whatsapp groups have lit up with “fury” and “anger” over the post-lockdown plan, according to one senior Tory, who said: “The idea seems to be to move everybody up, Tier 2 becomes a shady Tier 3, Tier 3 is lockdown. Tier 1 is all but abolished.

“There’s fury and anger at Boris Johnson on the backbenches about this. He doesn’t seem to care about the economic impact all of this is having. There’s going to be a major revolt.”

Philip Davies, the MP for Shipley, said: “Basically, it’s pretty clear that every place in Tier 1 will be in the south of England only. There’s going to be this major north-south divide which will fly in the face of the Government’s levelling-up agenda. Did they not foresee this was going to be a problem? I won’t be voting for all this rubbish.”

MPS will be invited to vote on the new tier system next week, with s wathes of t he 70- s t rong Covid Research Group of lockdown sceptic Tories expected to rebel.

According to Chris Green, the MP for Bolton West, who voted against the second lockdown, “there were plenty of MPS who voted for it last time but said ‘never again’”.