Lancashire will soon enter Tier 3 lockdown after days of discussions between the Government and local leaders. This means areas in Lancashire will now face the highest level of coronavirus restrictions in England.
Liverpool is already under Tier 3 measures, and has been since the rules came into effect on Wednesday.
Other areas, such as Lancashire and Manchester, have been locked in fierce debate with the Government about support packages for the businesses impacted by the strict rules.
Lancashire will enter Tier 3 on Saturday, October 17.
Around 1.5 million people will be affected by the new rules, which includes Blackpool, Blackburn, Preston and Lancaster.
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Addressing the Commons, Mr Hancock said London, Essex, York and parts of Surrey, Derbyshire and Cumbria would be under stricter Tier 2 rules from Saturday, October 17 at 0.01am.
Talks between the Government and leaders of Greater Manchester on whether that area will move up to Tier 3 are ongoing.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is calling on the Government to issue more financial support for those affected before stricter rules are brought in.
Dominic Raab said more action is needed in the North West city to avoid a second nation lockdown and urged Mr Burnham to “do the right thing by the people of Manchester”.
Mr Burnham has said what is proposed goes far beyond just closing pubs and bars and is not guaranteed to bring the outbreak under control.
MPs and other council chiefs have also criticised the plan.
But the Foreign Secretary insisted tougher restrictions were needed to control the rise in coronavirus cases.
He told BBC Breakfast: “Ultimately we need to take action – we can’t have a situation as we have seen in Manchester where Andy Burnham is effectively trying to hold the Government over a barrel over money and politics when actually we need to take action.
“The cases there are 470 per 100,000, so it is very serious, and we must take action in the interest of the people of Manchester and the wider area, and if we take those targeted actions in those areas most affected… we get through this and we avoid the national level lockdown.”
Mr Burnham, responding on Twitter, said: “It’s not about what we want for ourselves, Dominic Raab. It’s about what we want for low-paid and self-employed people everywhere: fairness.”
In a joint statement, Mr Burnham, North Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll and Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram called for an 80 percent furlough scheme for all people affected by regional lockdowns.
They said: “Paying two-thirds of salaries will not be enough to protect the jobs of thousands – it should at least match the 80 percent that was available under furlough, with the minimum wage as the minimum support.
“The Universal Credit top-up is not the answer. It doesn’t help everybody and takes weeks to come through. It will not prevent severe hardship for thousands of low-paid workers before Christmas.
“But we won’t forget the self-employed and freelancers and other business who will be affected by these lockdowns, they also need support and we stand firm for those too. This is a fight for what is right.”
