Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, pledged to continue his fight against the government today, after Number 10 broke off the negotiations with local leaders and suggested the area could be moved into Tier 3 without their consent.
The talks collapsed this afternoon, after housing and local government Secretary Robert Jenrick expressed his ‘disappointment that despite recognising the gravity of the situation, the mayor has been unwilling to take the action that is required to get the spread of the virus under control in Greater Manchester and reach an agreement with the government.’
Jenrick has therefore ‘advised the Prime Minister that these discussions have concluded without an agreement’.
In response, Burnham gave an impassioned speech outside the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, in which he accused the government of ‘grinding communities down through punishing negotiations’ and promised to fight for those impacted by the restrictions.
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