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Andy Burnham considering legal action if government ‘impose’ Tier 3 on Greater Manchester without consent
JUST IN.
Andy Burnham has said he will consider legal action against the government if Tier 3 is imposed on Greater Manchester.
It comes following rumours that Greater Manchester will be heading to Tier 3 following recommendations from the government’s health bosses.
Reports from a meeting last night claim that the Joint Biosecurity Centre’s Gold Command ‘signed off’ on Tier 3 restrictions for Greater Manchester and Lancashire, with the final decision reportedly being announced today.
Tier 3 would move Greater Manchester into the highest alert level on the new tiering system. It would see the closure of hospitality and leisure businesses.
Mr Burnham has stated that this would be done by ‘imposition not by consent’.
Both the Liverpool Metro Mayor and Manchester Mayor have stated they are considering challenging this possibly through a joint class action.
Mr Burnham said his concerns lie with the impacts on self-employed people in the area and the security industry who would see their income collapse if hospitality businesses close.
He told reporters: “We won’t accept people having their jobs taken off them, their businesses taken off them without proper compensation and what I mean by that is 80pc furlough across the board.
“We would consider other routes – legal routes – where we could protect our many thousands of residents who are going to be left in severe hardship in the run-up to Christmas.
“We would not just leave them in the lurch, we would try and support them and that would include any legal action we could take on their behalf.
“We might even consider some joint action in that space because we won’t let people just be sent to the wall.”
Liverpool city region mayor, Steve Rotheram added: “I think what we might well be talking about collectively is getting together and challenging this presumption that people can live on two-thirds of their wages.
“For me, it appears to be discriminatory that the government seems to be saying, we gave people 80pc in March but because it’s happening to somewhere in the Liverpool City Region you’re only going to be able to get two-thirds of your wage.
“We’re going to be having further discussions about whether we come together to see if there is a case to take forward.”
Mr Rotherham added that the city would use their own funds to create an extra furlough scheme to support workers in the meantime.
Despite his concerns, Mr Burnham has said that if Greater Manchester was moved to Tier 3 by the government without any agreement, he would not ask residents to defy the measures.
He said: “If the government insists that that is it and there’s no further discussion they would probably have to impose it.
“I’m not saying that we would in any way ask people to defy it, obviously we respect the law of the land but it would be clear that it would have been done in that way, without our consent.”
The Manchester Mayor is set to meet with government this morning to learn our region’s fate, and whether we will be moved up to the highest alert level.
Local leaders and Greater Manchester MPs will speak to MP Helen Whatley at 10.45am, with London and Lancashire also talking to the government this morning about being moved up an alert level, Sky News reports.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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