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Merseyside has taken an additional £ 30 million in COVID-19 Tier 3 cash from the government, adding to the pressure on Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham to make a deal.
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, praised by Boris Johnson last week, announced that the new money is to support businesses affected by the shutdown.
This is £ 14 million already received to support local test, trace and isolation system and local compliance efforts, bringing the total to £ 44 million to offset Tier 3 restrictions.
And coupled with the £ 7 million the city region received when it went to Tier 2 status, it means Merseyside has received a total package of £ 51 million in coronavirus government cash so far.
A man wearing a face mask walks past graffiti in central Manchester.
“Once it became clear that Level 3 restrictions were to be imposed in our City Region, we held a series of meetings with the government over the past weekend, with the aim of protecting our NHS and supporting local people and businesses. Rotheram said. , announcing the latest brochure.
“We have been absolutely clear since we were put at Level 3 that we would continue to pressure the government and engage in meaningful dialogue to secure vitally needed additional financial support.
“The result of this is that, today, we have raised an additional £ 30 million in funding from the government.
“This is good news for our economy and the thousands of people whose businesses and jobs will now be supported during this very difficult period.”
Mr Rotheram, a former Labor MP from Liverpool Walton, has been praised by Johnson several times in recent weeks, at the Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons and at his Downing Street press conferences.
In contrast, after Burnham complained that no further talks had been arranged with the government this weekend, Downing Street responded: “Number 10 came over this morning to try to arrange a meeting with the mayor of Manchester.
“We will continue to try to reach an agreement on these difficult but necessary measures to protect the NHS and the people of Manchester.”
But a defiant Mr Burnham is now calling for Parliament to agree on a three-point plan for Greater Manchester.
He is demanding:
- A “fair leave” of 80% of wages for those whose businesses are forced to close under Level 3 restrictions
- 80% of the income of the self-employed as taxi drivers and security workers guaranteed
- A much improved business support scheme
Despite his plea, Burnham also attacked Rishi Sunak, stating in an interview with the New Statesman: “I think the problem now is largely the chancellor.
“I think he has made wrong judgments throughout all of this. The Eat Out To Help Out plan was a bad judgment and the wrong message got out of lockdown.
“The cost of that should have been paying for the permit now. The Treasury pretty much funded the weirdest things, and it hasn’t funded the proper support.”
In an unusual Conservative split, Burnham also won the backing of Conservative MPs in Greater Manchester after he was attacked by 20 fellow Conservatives representing seats under Tier 1 restrictions.
Led by Jerome Mayhew, the Broadland MP from Norfolk, Burnham’s conservative critics wrote to him, urging him: “We know you are calling for a national shutdown now, but we urge you to reconsider.
“It makes no sense to shut down the entire country when the virus is increasing in particular places. It is very clear to us, and to the people we represent, that the local and regional approach is the correct response to the current situation.
“We urge them to work with the government to control the virus in Greater Manchester, so that we can all avoid the pain of another national lockdown.”
But Conservative MP William Wragg, whose Hazel Grove constituency is in Greater Manchester, responded, telling colleagues to “worry about their own constituencies.”
“He would not want stricter restrictions on his constituents,” he said. “We are ready to work constructively to improve the situation in Greater Manchester and would ask for little time and space to do so.”
And Christian Wakeford, the Conservative MP from nearby Bury South, said politicians in the region were “united to oppose Level 3 in its current form” to get the best solution for residents.
“Interventions by other members who do not understand the situation are neither necessary nor helpful,” he added.
