Feel The Burnham? What People In Manchester Think Of Row Over 'Shambolic' Lockdown
Greater Manchester has become the scene of one of the biggest political standoffs since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
On one side is the weight and force of Boris Johnson and his government. Ministers insist that, amid a huge second wave of coronavirus cases they say could overwhelm the region’s intensive beds by November 12, the area must go into a tier 3 lockdown.
On the other side is a handful of local leaders – led by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham – who are refusing to agree to the new rules until the Treasury rolls out a stronger package of support for workers and businesses.
Accusing the government of treating Greater Manchester as a “sacrificial lamb”, they have demanded the government offer workers in tier 3 a furlough package covering 80% of their wages, and an improved compensation scheme for businesses.
On @MarrShow the Mayor mentioned that he had written to the Prime Minister and the other Party Leaders asking for their support to reach a fair level of support for people and businesses affected by covid restrictions.
You can read the letter here and at https://t.co/EMZWt0va9spic.twitter.com/Dl9J5dNjsX— Mayor Andy Burnham (@MayorofGM) October 18, 2020
It’s a stalemate that has rolled on for days now. While the government could impose a tier 3 lockdown without the support of local leaders, it has yet to take the plunge.
But what do people in Greater Manchester think of the current deadlock? Do they back the Labour mayor’s bid for a better deal for workers and businesses? Or do they fear what a delay to lockdown could mean for spiralling coronavirus cases in the area?
For 33-year-old Dan, who lives in Bury, it’s a no-brainer – Burnham is “absolutely” doing the right thing by standing up to the government.
“We were given extra restrictions months ago which were essentially tier 2,” he said. Despite this,...
