Hancock: North- west cases soaring
MINISTERS are piling pressure on Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to accept the highest level of lockdown restrictions in order to “save lives and livelihoods”.
Projections produced by the Government yesterday suggested the region’s hospitals risked being overwhelmed with Covid- 19 cases.
And after talks again failed to end the stand- off last night, Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned the infection rate in the region was soaring while further action was delayed. He contrasted the willingness of council leaders in neighbouring Lancashire to “put politics aside in the national interest” with the obstructive approach from the metropolitan authority.
In the Commons, Mr Hancock told MPs: “I’m very worried that the cases per 100,000 among the over- 60s is 401 in the Liverpool City Region, 241 in Lancashire, and in Greater Manchester have risen over the past week from 171 to 283. This is why the Government has been working so hard to act. I’m very glad we’ve been able to agree across party lines the necessary measures in Liverpool and in Lancashire. We’re working hard to reach such an agreement in Greater Manchester. ”
Mr Burnham, who has demanded more financial aid before agreeing to Tier 3, insisted the issue was “not about the size of the cheque”.
He said: “It’s about protecting low- paid workers, people who are self- employed, supporting businesses and preventing them from collapsing.” In a statement
released last night, Mr Burnham and Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said: “We are disappointed that the Government has today sought to raise public concern about the NHS in Greater Manchester with selective statistics.
“Greater Manchester’s ICU occupancy rate is not abnormal for this time of year and is comparable to the occupancy rate in October 2019.”