Six Greater Manchester Tory MPs accuse Burnham of putting his ‘ego’ above ‘responsibility’

Six of Greater Manchester’s Tory MPs have written to Mayor Andy Burnham accusing him of putting his ‘ego’ above ‘responsibility’ for the area.

Boris Johnson announced the news yesterday that Greater Manchester would be put in the highest level of coronavirus restrictions after negotiations between ministers and local leaders broke down.

Burnham explained that leaders of Greater Manchester had requested £90m ‘to cover the cost of 80% furlough wages and self-employed scheme’ in the region.

However ministers offered £60m in return after the negotiations. 

Boris Johnson confirmed £22m in the press conference last night with Health Secretary Matt Hancock later informing the House of commons that the £60m offer ‘remains on the table’.

Chris Clarkson, conservative MP for Heywood and Middleton tweeted last night: “Greater Manchester MPs wrote to Andy Burnham today to express our concern about his failure to come to an agreement with the Government. The Mayor now needs to let Local MPs and council leaders have a go at getting a sensible settlement.”

Andy responded: ” You haven’t got this quite right Chris. We asked for £90m – which is the cost of an 80% furlough & self-employed scheme.

“We were offered £60m – 66% of our ask, the same that pub staff in Heywood & Middleton are deemed to be worth.

“You can vote to change that today. Will you?”

Bury Conservative Group leader, Nick Jones tweeted: “Andy Burnham has completely failed in his duty for the people of Greater Manchester. Time for him to step aside and let local Leaders and MPs work with the government to reach a settlement.”

Not all Tory MPs in the region are supporting the letter. Conservative MP Chris Green from Bolton West said Bolton had ‘been through a far tougher lockdown than tier 3 and it didn’t work’.

He added: “The government believes that three weeks of closing pubs and soft play centres will make a dramatic difference. It hasn’t and it won’t.”

Following the announcements last night, Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the PM was ‘punishing the people of Greater Manchester’.

Adding: “This isn’t a game, it’s about people’s lives, people need proper financial support,”

“This is a national crisis and we won’t defeat this virus on the cheap.”

Liverpool mayor Steve Rotherham took to Twitter last night to emphasise ‘solidarity’ with Andy Burnham and ‘everyone in Greater Manchester’.

Adding: “We’re in the middle of a health crisis yet the Government is playing divide and rule.”

Sacha Lord tweeted last night: “Angry. Disappointed. Speechless.”

Adding: “I will make my feelings on this shambolic Government decision clear tomorrow. The fight will go on.”

Details of the restrictions are set to be announced today.