Andy Burnham turns down £60m in Tier 3 funding for Manchester
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Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has refused the government’s offer of £60m in return for accepting new draconian Tier 3 Covid restrictions.
Burnham told a press conference today that he asked for £100m in extra funding originally, but was willing to accept as little as £65m.
Downing Street would not budge from its £60m figure in negotiations and no deal was struck between Manchester’s local authorities and government.
The Manchester Evening News reports that the city will instead only receive a little over £20m when it is put into Tier 3 later today by Boris Johnson.
Burnham said £60m would not be enough to protect businesses and workers if new restrictions that ban household mixing and shut down many industries are implemented in Manchester.
In comparison, the Liverpool region £44m when it was put into Tier 3 restrictions last week.
Burnham, a former Labour health secretary, said his rejection of £60m was a “point of principle”.
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“At no point today were we offered enough to protect our communities against the punishing reality of the winter to come,” Burnham said.
“I don’t believe we can proceed as a country on this basis through the pandemic by grinding communities now, by punishing financial negotiations.”
Burnham also warned Manchester residents that “tough days lie ahead”.
“We will carry on fighting for you, we will carry on putting your health first but health is more than the virus,” he said