London and Liverpool go into Tier 2

London and Liverpool will be placed in Tier 2 of Boris Johnson’s new coronavirus lockdown regime, Department of Health sources have confirmed to MailOnline. 

The decision to save the cities from Tier 3 will be a relief to many in the hospitality industry who will be able to reopen when the current national lockdown ends on December 2. 

Coronavirus cases are falling quickly in more than two-thirds of London boroughs – and appear to be stalling in the rest. Liverpool has also run after a successful campaign to control its outbreak after mass testing in the city.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock will unveil the breakdown of areas at 11.30am after days of wrangling – and London and Liverpool have won their battle to avoid the toughest restrictions.

Tier 3 means that millions of people would face a ban on households mixing indoors and outdoors, and pubs will be only be able to provide takeaway service or must close altogether. 

The Prime Minister is expected to put most of England in Tier 2 and Tier 3 despite being told it was ‘hard to justify when cases are now falling in every region of the country.