The deadline for Greater Manchester to impose Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions has passed. The region was given the midday ultimatum after talks between local leaders and Westminster failed to reach agreement .
The Government has threatened to impose restrictions even without local leaders’ consent. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said it was “provocative” of ministers to give local leaders a deadline.
Andy Burnham says he will keep to the law and “accept” Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions for Greater Manchester if the government imposes them.
Boris Johnson next step is to hold a press conference where he is expected to set out the Government’s intentions to introduce ‘Tier 3’ coronavirus controls in Greater Manchester. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said talks had continued on Tuesday morning at official level ahead of the Government’s midday deadline for an agreement on the introduction of Tier 3 controls in the region.
Mr Johnson has also spoken directly to Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham following the passing of the deadline. “The talks have been ongoing this morning.
Rumblings of discontent in the Capital
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called for the 10pm curfew in the capital to be scrapped now the city is under Tier 2 coronavirus restrictions
Mr Khan said allowing restaurants to remain open beyond 10pm would support businesses by allowing them to increase bookings even with indoor mixing of households banned.
In a statement, he said: “I have said for a while that the current curfew rule needs to be rapidly reviewed. We saw the worrying consequences of increased social mixing on the streets and on public transport in the capital around 10pm immediately after its introduction.
“Now London and other parts of the country have moved into Tier 2 and higher restrictions, which prohibit household mixing, the current 10pm curfew policy makes even less sense and should be scrapped.
“Immediately scrapping the 10pm curfew would allow more sittings of single households in restaurants throughout the evening, helping with cashflow at a time when venues need all the support they can get.”
