NORTHERN REVOLT
Greater Manchester rejects highest level of lockdown in clash with the PM Fury at lack of cash support as half the country now under tougher rules
ANDY Burnham yesterday led a rebellion by local leaders against No10’s bid to impose Tier 3 curbs on Greater Manchester.
The metro mayor rejected the move after Boris Johnson refused further state aid for the region. He said: “People are fed up of being treated in this way.” More regions are to be placed in Tier 2 lockdowns tomorrow, meaning 27 million people will be under strict rules.
ANDY Burnham has accused Boris Johnson of treating the North with contempt and putting businesses at risk with Tier 3 lockdowns but no further financial support.
The furious Greater Manchester metro mayor led the rebellion against the PM’s plan to move from Tier 2 and impose harsher curbs.
He said Mr Johnson was sacrificing jobs in the North to save them elsewhere. Every Tory MP in the region supported him in resisting the move.
Up to 27 million people – almost half the population – will be in stricter lockdown tomorrow, including London, with social mixing indoors banned. Merseyside is already in Tier 3.
Mr Burnham unleashed his anger as he stood on the steps of Manchester Central Library to address crowds, after a meeting with No10 broke down.
He said: “People are fed up of being treated in this way, the North is fed up of being pushed around. We aren’t going to be pushed around any more. Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City Region and Lancashire are being set up as the canaries in the coal mine for an experimental regional lockdown strategy as an attempt to prevent the expense of what is truly needed.
“It may be that we need to look at a national circuit break as preferable to this unfunded, risky regional lockdown strategy. We have to protect the health of the nation but let’s do it as one nation, and not make the North the sacrificial lamb for an ill-thought-through Downing Street policy which doesn’t make sense.”
Mr Burnham demanded 80% furlough for affected workers, 80% income support for the self-employed, and a compensation scheme for businesses if Mr Johnson presses ahead with the Tier 3 lockdown, as seems likely. He argues the
long-term economic damage would cost more than short-term state aid.
But ministers refused to offer more than the Job Support Scheme, which pays two-thirds of wages for those affected by closures. UK Covid-19 deaths yesterday rose by 138 to 43,293.
There were 18,980 more cases. But Mr Burnham revealed deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van Tam told local leaders the only thing “certain” to drive down infections was a national lockdown.
He added: “The Government told us it is unwilling to do that because of the damage it will do to the national economy. And yet that is what they want to impose on the North West.
“That was our conclusion from the meeting today… they are willing to try to sacrifice jobs and businesses here to try to save them elsewhere.”
After the meeting, William Wragg, Tory MP for Hazel Grove, said all local leaders and MPs were “in agreement” against the tougher curbs without more cash support.
He said: “The impossible has been achieved.”
Colleague Sir Graham Brady, who represents Altrincham and Sale West, warned Covid- weary people may simply refuse to stick to the curbs.
He said: “The danger is that if you try to do these things without consent, people lose patience very quickly.”
And he said the PM imposing the curbs without local consent “would be a very foolish thing to do”.
Mr Burnham has threatened legal action over the Tier 3 plan. As well as London, Essex, Elmbridge, Barrow and Furness, York, NE Derbyshire, Erewash and Chesterfield will also be in Tier 2. Households are banned from mixing with others indoors, including in pubs and restaurants.
Without state support, it could put 1.5 million jobs at risk in more than 5,000 pubs and 8,500 restaurants.
The British Beer & Pub Association warned it will “decimate” pubs unless they get a better financial offer.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the virus is “spreading rapidly in every part of our city”.
He added: “Time and again it has been shown that it is better to act earlier than to act too late… which would cost more lives.”
Plans to put part of Lancashire into Tier 3 were put on hold.