A Bromley MP is one of several Tories urging the Government not to put London into “economically crippling” Tier 3 restrictions.

The Prime Minister will announce on Thursday which level of controls each region in the UK will be subject to after lockdown ends on December 2.

Boris Johnson revealed yesterday that the previous tier system will be strengthened, with Tier 3 looking similar to a lockdown, as people are barred from meeting anyone outside their household or bubble and hospitality venues can only open for takeaway service.

Sir Bob Neill, Conservative MP for Bromley and Chislehurst, told the Evening Standard: “Tier 3 would be completely unacceptable (for London) and economically crippling.

"It should not be done to appease other parts of the country.”

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Former Tory health minister Stephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon, said: “There is no evidence that would support putting London into Tier 3.

“We all recognise we need to act responsibly to defeat the virus but strangling so many London small businesses would be wrong.”

Kensington Tory MP Felicity Buchan joined the calls, telling the Standard: “Clearly the numbers just do not justify Tier 3 for London at all.”

The PM is expected to place London into adjusted Tier 2 restrictions, as it was prior to lockdown, under which household mixing remains banned indoors, however hospitality can remain open until 11pm.

Limited numbers of spectators will also be allowed to attend sports events and live performances, which they were not previously.

London Mayor Mr Khan said: “London going into Tier 2 next week would seem the right and sensible decision.”

Despite calls by MPs such as Sir Bob representing borough’s with comparatively low rates of coronavirus, all areas in London are expected to be subject to the same restrictions.

The decision will depend on a number of factors, including each area's case numbers, the reproduction rate - or R number - and the current and projected pressure on the NHS locally.

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Tier allocations will be reviewed every 14 days, and the regional approach will last until March.

The PM, who is self-isolating after meeting an MP who later tested positive for coronavirus, warned that "more regions will fall - at least temporarily - into higher levels than before".

Covid-19 case rates have started to fall in most local areas across England, except London and the south east.

It is still too soon to judge the full impact on case rates of the England-wide lockdown, however.

The nationwide restrictions began on November 5, and the most recent figures are for the week ending November 18 - just 14 days into the lockdown.

Given it can take up to two weeks for Covid-19 symptoms to appear, and further time for somebody to be tested and the result to be processed, more data is needed to be certain about how and where case rates are falling.