GREATER MANCHESTER Mayor Andy Burham has been hit with yet another serious warning from the Government as Tier 3 restrictions loom over the northern region, prompting Business minister Nadhim Zahawi to bring up the possibility of military support.
The Government has threatened to impose Tier 3 restrictions on Greater Manchester if leaders do not agree to a deal by the midday deadline. Local leaders, most notably Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, claim the financial package being offered to support an effective lockdown in the region would not be good enough. Nadhim Zahawi, the minister for Business and Energy, warned Sky News that the military could be drafted to offer coronavirus support.
He said: "I hope Andy Burnham, who I have worked extensively with, will agree to this.
"I think it's a good package - £22million for Manchester and more to come if Andy wants to negotiate.
"The real risk here is that by the week of November, at the current trajectory, there will be no ICU beds left in Greater Manchester. All of those critical beds will be occupied by COVID patients."
Mr Zahawi continued: "In the next couple of weeks you're going to see, again if the current trajectory carries on, more infections in the first spike back in March and April.
"We owe it to the people of Manchester to work together, and let's make this happen now.
"We'll put more support in from the army if they need it, any kind of support they're looking for.
"But let's agree this as we've done with London, Liverpool, Lancashire and other places."
The Business minister was pressed over what actions would be taken if the deal was not accepted by the deadline.
He confirmed that the Prime Minister would have to "put the lives of the people of Greater Manchester ahead of all of our interests".
The Prime Minister had already threatened to do so if an agreement could not be reached.
Negotiations are also underway with South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and the North East about moving into Tier 3.
This would bring a vast swathe of the north of England under the strictest lockdown rules.
The Government's ultimatum comes after 10 days of talks on new rules and a rescue package with local leaders broke down.
There is also a dispute about just how fast the coronavirus infections are rising in Greater Manchester.
The Executive Medical Lead of the area told Sky News that she did not think they were running out of beds and did have enough capacity.
Source: Express
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