Kate Garraway and Andy Burnham collide over north-south divide amid coronavirus lockdown

Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway confronted Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham about the north-south divide of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The 50-year-old former Health Secretary appeared on GMB ahead of the noon deadline while calling for more financial support before Greater Manchester heads into a Level 3 lockdown.

Addressing his points to hosts Kate and Ranvir Singh, he suggested that the north had been pulled out of the national blockade too early, causing cases to skyrocket later.

He also accused the government of “raising public fears” to back his side of the argument.

“Let’s get the factual information out to the public,” he said.

When asked what he would do to protect the livelihoods of those he had spoken about, including the lowest paid workers in the hotel industry, if the government did not offer any additional financial support at noon, he said: “The ultimatum letter that We received late at night it was a bit strange because it spoke of additional support.

“But the government has never given us a figure of what it could be.”

He added that they hoped to write to the government to tell them they need support to reflect that they had already been in lockdown restrictions for three months and stability to support the people of the companies.

But Ranvir questioned: “You have a prominent mayor in you to delay these restrictions. Surely that gives the people of Greater Manchester the freedom to [think], ‘If our mayor doesn’t think it’s imperative to move to Level 3 right now, why should I behave in a way that means I can’t mix with other households’? “

“I never said I wouldn’t accept Level 3 under any circumstances,” Andy noted. “What I’ve said is that if you’re going to do it, you have to support people properly.”

Kate chimed in saying, “But Andy, people react and … they don’t necessarily listen to every word we say. They form a general impression. And you’ve been publicly delayed, so you think that’s good reason for the people of Manchester.

“But the perception of the people is that they are facing the government, they do not want to have this Level 3 unless we get money. The impression will be that the resistance is not in vain, that they actually go out and break the rules because they need to put Food on the table could be something you would unconsciously approve of.

Andy admitted that there was a “risk” of that, but insisted that it was a risk that the government is taking because they are the ones talking about imposing.

“I’m trying to be constructive,” Andy said. “They are the ones who gave the ultimatum, not me. So I’ll keep talking about it.”

He went on to suggest that the reason he spoke was due to “party politics”, which he opposed.

“The policy should be to speak on behalf of people who normally have no voice,” he insisted, adding that “he would not apologize to the government or anyone” for speaking on their behalf.

Kate then turned to Labor leader Keir Starmer’s calls for a two-week national circuit breaker lockout, asked Andy if he agreed that it was a good idea, and if he took responsibility for getting everyone to do it.

“Personally, I think staying at Level 2 with the possibility of a national circuit interruption is the best way to go because experts tell us that Level 3 is not safe to knock down cases, but such a circuit breaker if sure it will. lower the cases, “he replied. “Because it is shorter, it would generate more health benefits and less damage to the economy. So that’s my position.”

But he added: “What I need to remind you, Kate, is that you are talking about cases in the South. Cases were lower in the North when we entered the national lockdown earlier this year, and that is sometimes forgotten.

“But as I pointed out on this show at the time, that national lockdown was lifted too early for the north of England and that is why we are in the trouble we are in right now.”

Kate chimed in, noting: “London has restrictions as strict as you are about to impose, but the mayor has agreed to similar restrictions, so it is not just a north-south divide.”

“No, not quite and I said earlier in the interview that this is everyone’s problem,” Andy replied. “We need a fair financial framework.”

* Good Morning Britain airs Monday through Friday at 6am on ITV