Covid: Greater Manchester Tier 3 stalemate continues as talks conclude without agreement
Video report by ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen
Talks on Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions for Greater Manchester between the government and local leaders have again failed to reach an agreement, a government spokesman has confirmed.
The government is now "carefully considering next steps" after a senior Cabinet minister suggested restrictions could be tightened in Greater Manchester whether or not local leaders agreed.
A senior Greater Manchester source told ITV News that leaders who had been in discussion with the government about entering the 'very high' alert level, came out the meeting “feeling like the government wanted the talks to fail".
The region's political leaders, including Mayor Andy Burnham, have been opposing a tightening of restrictions unless the government improves its offer of financial support for workers and businesses.
Mr Burnham wants an 80% furlough and additional support for the self employed to be offered alongside any tightening of restrictions that forces businesses to close, but the source said Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick ruled out financial help beyond current government policy.
Mr Burnham and Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese have said they still hope to reach agreement with the Government on new coronavirus restrictions for the region.
In a joint statement, they said it was "surprising and disappointing" that an earlier offer of a hardship fund to top up furlough payments and support the self-employed had been "taken off the table" by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
"This evening we have written to the Prime Minister reiterating our willingness to continue to work towards an agreement but reminding him that Greater Manchester has been in Tier 2-style restrictions for almost three months, and that this has taken a toll on people and businesses here," they said.
"With this in mind, we do not believe it is in any way unreasonable for us to require better protection for our lowest-paid residents."
They also complained that the Government had today sought to raise public concern about the NHS in Greater Manchester with the release of “selective statistics” about the occupancy rates in intensive care.
Covid tiers: - What are the differences between each alert level?
Medium (Tier 1) - Rule of six applies indoors and outdoors. Pubs and restaurants close at 10pm.
High (Tier 2) - Households must not mix indoors in any setting including pubs and restaurants. Rule of six applies outdoors
Very high (Tier 3) - Households must not mix indoors, or in private gardens. Rule of six applies in outdoor spaces including parks. Pubs and bars which don't serve meals will be closed
When asked by ITV News if ministers were prepared to impose new restrictions on Greater Manchester without an agreement being reached, Mr Jenrick said: "the government has overall responsibility for the health and the wellbeing of people in Greater Manchester and so we will have to take action".
Mr Jenrick suggested the deadline for an agreement is later on Monday, adding: "The situation is serious and is escalating. We need to give certainty to the local business community and to the residents of Greater Manchester."
He said he believes negotiations can reach a "sensible amicable solution", but said the "escalating" Covid-19 situation in Greater Manchester means a final decision on new restrictions must be made.
"Now is the right time to bring the talks that we've been having now for several days to a conclusion and to take decisive action," he said.
Piling the pressure on local leaders to accept tightened coronavirus restrictions, a Number 10 spokesman said Greater Manchester's intensive care units (ICU) have just nine days before all free space is used up.
The government's Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M) "best case" scenario estimates that Greater Manchester will see all free intensive care capacity used up by October 28.
The group says intensive care capacity in the region could be overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases by November 12, after passing the peak of the first wave on November 2.
Currently the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care is around 40% of that seen at the peak of the first wave.
"Cases in Greater Manchester continue to rise," the prime minister's official spokesperson said, adding: "Hospital admissions in Greater Manchester are doubling every nine days."
Assuming a 14-day doubling time, 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.
If an agreement cannot be reached on Tier 3 restrictions, the government will need to intervene "in order to protect hospitals and save the lives of residents" the spokesperson said.
Mr Burnham held a press conference last week in which he said his region was being treated as a "sacrificial lamb" by being asked to accept restrictions the government's own advisers did not believe would work.
Boris Johnson held a press conference on Friday, responding to Mr Burnham, in which he said: "Each day that passes before action is taken means more people will go to hospital, more people will end up in intensive care and tragically more people will die."
Mr Jenrick said the government "can't allow the number of cases to just continue to rise and we certainly don't want to sit back and see hospitals in the region come under unnecessary pressure".
Mr Burnham, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and members of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies have been calling for a two week circuit break lockdown, which would effectively see the UK closed down for two weeks.
But Mr Jenrick said a "localised and proportionate approach feels to us to be the most sensible way forwards" because the number of coronavirus cases "varies very widely across England".
He said a national circuit breaker "would cause enormous damage to the business community, to people's livelihoods and also to our broader health and wellbeing".