Andy Burnham says the North will be ‘levelled down’ by strict new tiers

Andy Burnham has responded to the news that Greater Manchester is heading to Tier 3, even though our infection rate is reducing faster than any other part of the country.

Mr Burnham has said that cities in the North will be ‘levelled down’ by the new tier system, adding that ‘it is unfair and the opposite of what the government has promised to do’.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester also said that he will be asking for the region to be moved into Tier 2 in a few weeks time if rates continue to fall like they have been.

BBC

Mr Burnham said in a statement: “Greater Manchester’s infection rate is reducing faster than any other part of the country but we have to accept that it is still significantly higher than the England average.

“That said, if the current rate of improvement continues, we will be asking the Government to move our city-region into Tier 2 in two week’s time.

“What we believe is completely wrong is the government’s decision to provide no additional business support to areas in Tier 3 than those in Tiers 1 and 2.

“The new Tier 3 will hit the hospitality sector extremely hard. While there are grants for businesses forced to close, there is no extra support for business which supply them like security, catering and cleaning.”

The statement continues: “This will cause real hardship for people whose jobs will be affected and risk the loss of many businesses.

“Ministers need to explain how they believe it is fair for Tier 3 areas to get no more support than those in Tier 2.

“They also need to explain why places with high numbers of hospitality businesses – like city centres – get the same population-based grant as more suburban and rural areas with fewer businesses affected.

“The effect of these policy decisions will be to level down the economies of city-regions across the North. It is unfair and the opposite of what the Government has promised to do. Ministers must review this and provide more financial support to Tier 3 areas.”