Ministers are threatening to force Greater Manchester into Tier 3 lockdown at 12pm tomorrow unless local leaders agree to impose economy-wrecking shutdowns themselves.
Up to 10 million people now face the toughest restrictions tomorrow after talks on whether the region should enter the ‘very high risk’ Tier 3 ended in deadlock again today.
No10 has tried to pressure Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham into accepting the economy-wrecking measures with warnings that the region’s intensive care beds could be overrun by the middle of November.
So far only Merseyside and Lancashire, with a combined population of three million are in Tier 3, which requires the closure of pubs and other venues considered risky.
A further 5.3 million in Scotland and Northern Ireland are already under even more draconian restrictions, while 3.1 million in Wales will be placed under full lockdown from Friday night.
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham earlier said that they still wanted agreement on a financial support package before agreeing to go into the highest, Tier 3 restrictions.
But in a statement released tonight, Robert Jenrick said that he had written to local leaders giving them until midday tomorrow to reach an agreement on the introduction of Tier 3 restrictions.
The Communities Secretary blamed Mr Burnham for the ‘deteriorating public health situation in Greater Manchester’ and warned the Government would ‘take action urgently’.
But the Manchester Mayor hit back tonight, blasting the Government’s dubious use of ‘selective statistics’ to spread fear and panic ‘about the NHS in Greater Manchester’.
Mr Jenrick said: ‘There are now more Covid-19 patients in Greater Manchester Hospitals than in the whole of the South West and South East combined. But, unfortunately, despite recognising the gravity of the situation, local leaders have been so far unwilling to take the action that is required to get this situation under control.
‘I have written to local leaders this evening to make clear that if we cannot reach agreement by midday tomorrow then I must advise the Prime Minister that despite our best endeavours we’ve been unable to reach agreement. It’s not too late for local leaders to work with us to take action for the sake of the people of Greater Manchester.’
Wales and Ireland today announced plans to impose lockdowns in a bid to suppress Covid-19, with Irish premier Micheal Martin restricting movement to a 5km radius despite Ireland recording no new deaths today.
Labour’s Welsh chief Mark Drakeford plunged the country into a two-week ‘firebreak’ lockdown which will see bars, restaurants and all non-essential shops close from 6pm on Friday.
In other coronavirus developments today:
- Wales was plunged into a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown, leaving England the only UK nation to hold back;
- Ireland’s premier announced a six-week shutdown of the Republic with draconian curbs on movement;
- Public gatherings will be banned in Ireland despite no new Covid-19 deaths being recorded today;
- Sir Patrick Vallance gloomily claimed that Covid-19 will probably never disappear, even with a vaccine;
- The UK recorded another 18,804 coronavirus cases today, a 34.6 per cent rise on last Monday. The tally of deaths has gone up by 80, 60 per cent higher than a week ago;
- England’s deputy chief medical officer called for the nation’s 10pm pub curfew to be brought forward to 6pm
Boris Johnson’s Government is threatening to force Andy Burnham’s Greater Manchester into Tier 3 lockdown at 12pm tomorrow unless local leaders agree to impose economy-wrecking shutdowns before then
Britain today recorded 18,804 Covid-19 cases and 80 deaths as infections and fatalities rise
In a joint statement, Mr Burnham and Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said they still hoped for a ‘positive outcome’.
But at the same time they made clear their determination to hold out for a financial support package.
They said it was ‘surprising and disappointing’ that an earlier offer of a hardship fund to top up furlough payments and support the self-employed had bee taken ‘off the table’ by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
‘This evening we have written to the Prime Minister reiterating our willingness to continue to work towards an agreement but reminding him that Greater Manchester has been in Tier 2 style restrictions for almost three months, and that this has taken a toll on people and businesses here,’ they said.
‘With this in mind, we do not believe it is in any way unreasonable for us to require better protection for our lowest-paid residents.’
The Prime Minister had previously said he wanted to gain the ‘consensus’ of local leaders before moving them into Tier 3.
Ministers fear public confidence in restrictions will be damaged if they do not get their support.
But after more than a week of talks, Whitehall sources last night indicated that the PM felt he had no choice but to take action in Greater Manchester to tackle the ‘health emergency’ there.
Mr Jenrick yesterday held ‘final discussions’ with local leaders, which ended in acrimony.
In a gloomy statement, a Government spokesman described the talks as ‘disappointing’, adding: ‘This is particularly concerning against the backdrop of rising cases and hospitalisations in Greater Manchester. We are carefully considering next steps.’
Ministers have been exasperated by the stance adopted by Mr Burnham, who has led opposition to Tier 3 status.
On Sunday, the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove accused him of ‘posturing’. And yesterday, Downing Street published new data on the health crisis in the region in an attempt to persuade him to back down.
However, the move is also opposed by local Tory MPs. One of them, Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, told Mr Hancock he remained ‘sceptical it will make a difference’.
Projections produced by the Government yesterday suggested Greater Manchester’s hospitals risked being overwhelmed.
‘Cases in Greater Manchester continue to rise,’ the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said. ‘Hospital admissions in Greater Manchester are doubling every nine days.’
The PM’s spokesman said that in the ‘best case scenario’ modelled by Government scientists, all free intensive care capacity would be used by October 28 and would pass the peak of the first wave by November 2.
The projections suggest Covid patients would take up the entire current intensive care capacity by November 8 and the entire surge capacity by November 12.
However, No 10 acknowledged that the figures do not include capacity in Nightingale hospitals.
Last night Mr Bunham and his deputy Sir Richard Leese disputed Downing Street’s claim intensive beds would be overrun, accusing it of using ‘selective statistics’.
Mr Burnham has been pushing for the furlough scheme to be extended to ensure those whose employers are forced to close receive 80 per cent of their income rather than the 66 per cent on offer from its successor scheme.