‘It isn’t equal treatment’: Andy Burnham slams decision to keep city-region under tighter Covid restrictions

Andy Burnham at the GMCA weekly press conference on 16 December

The mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has slammed the government’s decision to keep the region under the toughest coronavirus restrictions.

Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester this afternoon, he said: “The average for all of Greater Manchester is lower than Liverpool and London when they went into Tier 2.

“I don’t think they’ve got the balance right at all here, so I understand the frustration, but let’s not take it out on the NHS.

“We’ve got to follow those rules and it will be a difficult winter, there’s just no way of getting away from it, if we were in Tier 2 or Tier 3.”
 

Read more: Rochdale borough to remain in Tier 3Published: 17 December 2020

Listener Darren from Salford told Mike Sweeney and Andy Burnham: “How can they turn round and say they’re treating Manchester and the North correctly, don’t tell me about levelling up, there’s no levelling up by this government.

“We’re handed a hand like a game of cards – you’ll get what you’re given and that’s what it feels like, it’s frustrating. Greater Manchester will never be great again, they’re destroying us.”

Mr Burnham replied: “It isn’t equal treatment. It’s as simple as that. When we had higher cases and cases rising, we were left on our own. When London and the South East have them it looks like everyone has to have them.

“The difference is in the past this would have been done and we just wouldn’t have fought back but I think we are fighting back a bit more now than we have been. It was only when London was really in the firing line as well that they really turned their mind to it.

“I share your frustration but we will be great again, they’re not going to hold us back. We’ve come through a tough year and we are fighting back and that will continue in the New Year.”

On Twitter, Mr Burnham added: “If you look at the figures, it’s hard not to conclude: when cases rise in the North, the North goes under restrictions. When cases rise in London and the South East, everyone stays under restrictions.”

Alice Richardson, Local Democracy Reporter