Paul Foster, (Lab) Leader of South Ribble Council has given me his account of the Lancs negotiations:

-Negotiations lasted for five or six days, in which the councils said that Tier 3 wouldn't work, because Jenny Harries had told them so (as she told Greater Manchester).

-Councils said what's the point then in damaging the economy for something which won't work (again as GM said).
-Foster says that Sir Eddie Lister (PM's effective chief of staff) at this point began to "divide and conquer" and said govt would impose the v harshest restrictions...

...if all the councils didn't agree, with no economic support at all. He says that travel restrictions were even mentioned for holdouts.
-Last holdout was Preston but in the end, he says, there were threats to "isolate them" with tougher measures still.

-The councils thus acquiesced in face of possibility of the toughest restrictions of all, with nothing to show for it/extra financial support to ameliorate it. "It was blackmail" Foster says. "No wonder if we haven't got a Brexit deal, if that's how they negotiate."

Worth saying that Conservative Leader of LCC has a different take: "It's been a long drawn out process but I think we've got a good deal...After major negotiations with govt, we have agreed a bespoke deal for Lancs that means our biz and residents will receive extra support...

that will not be available elsewhere in the country."

Meanwhile confusion continues in Liverpool. Council leaders there tell me there was no idea of T3 having variation when they were negotiating.

One tells me: "There was no discussion about gyms, leisure, or anything being ‘optional extras’. The first time we were told some was ‘extra’ was when Johnson announced it on Monday. A massive breakdown in comms has occurred somewhere, or they're making up as they go along."

The tension between parts of the North West and Westminster is only growing...

Clearly though, the allegation that the government has suggested it will penalise hold out areas (and by extension those who live there) with the toughest restrictions of all is pretty extraordinary.