PM is set to put Greater Manchester under toughest coronavirus restrictions by end of the week 

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TEN MILLION are to be plunged into Tier 3 lockdown: Boris Johnson is set to put Greater Manchester under toughest coronavirus restrictions by end of the week

  • Talks on whether the region should enter Tier 3 ended in deadlock again today
  • PM feels he has no choice but to take action to ‘tackle health emergency there’
  • Ministers fear public confidence will be damaged if local leaders don’t support 
  • It comes as Matt Hancock says another 10 million people could face toughest restrictions as talks are ongoing in areas including Yorkshire and the North East  

By James Groves, Political Editor, Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Boris Johnson is poised to place Greater Manchester into the highest level of lockdown today, with as many as 10million people now facing the toughest restrictions by the end of the week.

Talks on whether the region should enter the ‘very high risk’ Tier Three ended in deadlock again yesterday, despite Downing Street warning that Manchester’s intensive care beds will be overrun by the middle of next month.

So far only Merseyside and Lancashire, with a combined population of three million are in Tier Three, which requires the closure of pubs and other venues considered risky.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has said he wants to gain the ‘consensus’ of local leaders in Greater Manchester before moving them into Tier Three restrictions but sources say he now feels he has ‘no choice but to act’ as the latest round of talks end in deadlock again

A further 5.3million in Scotland and Northern Ireland are already under even more draconian restrictions, while 3.1million in Wales will be placed under full lockdown from Friday night.

However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday revealed that talks on Tier Three status were continuing not just with Greater Manchester, but also local leaders in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Teesside and the North East.

It means that another 10million could face the toughest restrictions by the end of this week.

Shielding is more effective, urges Burnham’s deputy 

The leader of Manchester council yesterday called for the return of shielding, saying it would be more effective in fighting coronavirus than ‘blanket business closures’.

Sir Richard Leese said there should be more focus on protecting those who would be most at risk. As one of two deputy mayors, he speaks on health matters across Greater Manchester. In his blog, he said medics now know those most at risk of hospital admissions: the elderly and those with underlying conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and respiratory illnesses.

‘Wouldn’t it be much better to have an effective shielding programme for those most at risk, rather than have a blanket business closure policy of dubious efficacy?’ he wrote.

However, charities said shielding would only work if accompanied by financial support and measures to cut the transmission rate.

The Prime Minister has said he wants to gain the ‘consensus’ of local leaders before moving them into Tier Three.

Ministers fear public confidence in restrictions will be damaged if they do not get their support.

But after more than a week of talks, Whitehall sources last night indicated that the PM felt he had no choice but to take action in Greater Manchester to tackle the ‘health emergency’ there.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick yesterday held ‘final discussions’ with local leaders, which ended in acrimony.

In a gloomy statement, a Government spokesman described the talks as ‘disappointing’, adding: ‘This is particularly concerning against the backdrop of rising cases and hospitalisations in Greater Manchester. We are carefully considering next steps.’

Ministers have been exasperated by the stance adopted by Andy Burnham, the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, who has led opposition to Tier Three status.

On Sunday, the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove accused him of ‘posturing’.

And yesterday, Downing Street published new data on the health crisis in the region in an attempt to persuade him to back down.

However, the move is also opposed by local Tory MPs.

One of them, Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, yesterday told Mr Hancock he remained ‘sceptical it will make a difference’.

Projections produced by the Government yesterday suggested Greater Manchester’s hospitals risked being overwhelmed.

‘Cases in Greater Manchester continue to rise,’ the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said. ‘Hospital admissions in Greater Manchester are doubling every nine days.’

The PM’s spokesman said that in the ‘best case scenario’ modelled by Government scientists, all free intensive care capacity would be used by October 28 and would pass the peak of the first wave by November 2.

Ministers have been exasperated by the stance adopted by Andy Burnham, the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester (pictured), who has led opposition to Tier Three status. On Sunday, the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove accused him of ‘posturing’ as lockdown talks continued

Ministers have been exasperated by the stance adopted by Andy Burnham, the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester (pictured), who has led opposition to Tier Three status. On Sunday, the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove accused him of ‘posturing’ as lockdown talks continued

The projections suggest Covid patients would take up the entire current intensive care capacity by November 8 and the entire surge capacity by November 12.

However, No 10 acknowledged that the figures do not include capacity in Nightingale hospitals.

Last night Mr Bunham and his deputy Sir Richard Leese disputed Downing Street’s claim intensive beds would be overrun, accusing it of using ‘selective statistics’.

Mr Burnham has been pushing for the furlough scheme to be extended to ensure those whose employers are forced to close receive 80 per cent of their income rather than the 66 per cent on offer from its successor scheme.