A government letter to MPs in the north west of England says “it is very likely that certain local areas will face further restrictions”.

The letter, from Boris Johnson’s chief strategic adviser Sir Edward Lister, has been seen by the BBC.

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Details of the restrictions are set to be released on Monday when the prime minister makes a statement to MPs.

A three-tier system for local lockdowns will see restrictions applied to areas in a traffic light-style system.

The government is considering the closure of pubs and restaurants in the worst-affected Covid-19 areas, and a ban on overnight stays is also on the table.

Read more: Nostalgia cocktail bar ordered to close ‘for public safety’ under coronavirus rules

It’s thought the most severe measures will be agreed with local leaders in advance before they are implemented.

The change in approach to include local leaders comes after some politicians complained at the lack of consultation on measures.

On Thursday (8 October), Councillor Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council, tweeted his anger at the announcement in the media that restrictions were to be tightened.

He later called on the government to give more of a role to the city council in trying to tackle the spread of coronavirus through test and trace.

Preston’s coronavirus infection rate has continued to rise despite local restrictions. On Thursday the city area had the second-highest Covid-19 rate in Lancashire, with 327.7 infections per 100,000 people.

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines

What do you think about the possibility of further restrictions? Let us know in the comments.