Calls for Tier 2 measures in city-region step up

Greater Manchester leaders have stepped up calls for the region to move out Tier 3 restrictions as local hospital admissions continue to fall.

But they admit it may be a case of different borough being in different tiers – as ‘the next best thing to support as many jobs and businesses’. 

They are steeling themselves for further pressures on the shrinking economy with 100,000 people expected to lose their jobs by mid-2021.

Residents are being urged to shop local over the festive period whatever tier Greater Manchester finds itself in, though any tier change may come too late for some businesses.

The arrangements which came into force at the end of lockdown will be reviewed by the government next week, with any changes due to come in on 19 December.

The case for Greater Manchester, which had been living under the toughest measures weeks before the lockdown, to move into Tier 2 is a ‘strong one’ according to mayor Andy Burnham.

Covid-19 infections are still dropping and were lower than the infection rates reported in London – which was put into Tier 2 – on the day the country moved out of lockdown.

Speaking at his weekly press conference Mr Burnham urged ministers to give Greater Manchester the same ‘wider consideration’ given to the capital, that being the impact on jobs.

He said: “If you were to keep cities like Manchester in Tier 3 over the holiday period, it does have the effect, if hospitality is closed, of creating an incentive for people to have more informal gatherings in the home.

“We’re looking to the government for an evidence-based, balanced, wide consideration taking into account that people here have been living under restrictions for a number of months.”

Last week Mr Burnham and deputy mayor Sir Richard Leese entertained the idea of different tiers being applied across Greater Manchester.

Both leaders reinforced their desire for the 10 boroughs to move out of Tier 2 as one, but again they admitted that grouping northern and southern boroughs into ‘clusters’ could work.

Mr Burnham said he could understand if some local leaders were worried about moving into Tier 2 only to end up back in Tier 3 further down the line.

Sir Richard added: “The ideal position is what we have a single Greater Manchester solution and for me that’s mode definitely all of us being in Tier

“But if that’s not possible to achieve, we go to what might be the next best thing to support as many jobs and businesses as we can.”

The importance of moving out of the strictest coronavirus measures was also stressed by Lou Cardwell, co-chair of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership.

Greater Manchester’s economy has shrunk by 15 per cent in the year to November, with the number of Universal Credit claimants doubling to over 100,000.

Industry experts are predicting another 100,000 people to be unemployed by June next year, a figure which could rise if there is a no-deal Brexit.

Ms Cardwell said the government needed to offer stability to businesses willing to pay to make their premises Covid secure instead of ‘flip flopping’ in and out of restrictions.

She added: “It’s vital that we have adequate support for any business, whatever tier we’re in, to be able to trade, and to maximise economic activity across Greater Manchester.

“Every penny that people can spend supporting businesses across Greater Manchester, whether it’s a takeaway or a Christmas present, will make a huge difference.

“Where hospitality can reopen, we really do encourage people to go out for a meal, enjoy the hotels and support local business, but stick to the rules.”

Niall Griffiths, Local Democracy Reporting Service