I’m not sure what the answer is either tbh. But so many businesses are not viable at the moment due to a combination of reasons, and I don’t think this tiered system goes any way near enough to supporting those affected by it. So yes, Burnham is right to hold the government to account - what is the data behind the decisions? And if public health is the absolute number 1 priority, then why is education largely being left to its own devices when that is where a large proportion of the spread is coming from?

Burnham has gone from Devil Incarnate to Superhero in the space of 24 hours imo.

If you look at the general consensus even old people don’t want to lockdown they’ve already missed out on 7 months of family time and holidays and time with their kids and grandkids because of this BS, nobody is going to adhere this time

They should do a public vote on lockdown or just get on with our lives and the only people allowed to vote are over 50’s or 60’s and then we’ll see, let the elderly decide if they want this because the elderly is the governments excuse and the vast majority don’t want this

Burnham is right. We’ve been in tier 2 lockdown for 3 months and it’s done feck all good. If we go into tier 3 we’ll be stuck there for months and it will do feck all too. I don’t like to play the Mancunian exceptionalism card but it feels good seeing someone say no to them.

Johnson has bumbled through this but what more could he have done?


a lot more things a lot quicker

I live in Kent. The large county hospita my wife works in has 3 covid cases.

14 people died in Manchester hospital yesterday.

The reasons that things are failing in some areas and not in others is nothing to do with the track and trace or the tier system or anything, as that is the same across the board. It is to do with the actions of people in that area.

Why should we suffer a national lock down / circuit break when we don't need one.

Burham should be looking at his own, not at the London politicians

Burnham*

The "behaviour" of people is the same all over the country. You have people acting irresponsibly whether they are in Durham or Dover.

The problem the North is currently facing has multiple reasons.

Firstly, the entire country had restrictions lifted at the same time all because London numbers were looking good. The North was still struggling. Secondly, the North has a much higher population density on the whole than the South. Thirdly, the North has a much higher rate of deprivation than the South. Fourth - there is a higher rate of face to face jobs in the North, and more people able to work from home in the South.

One of the only areas down South that mirrors conditions in the North is Greater London. And their numbers are surging.....

comment by Ars is Foot (U10984)
posted 20 minutes ago
The "behaviour" of people is the same all over the country. You have people acting irresponsibly whether they are in Durham or Dover.

The problem the North is currently facing has multiple reasons.

Firstly, the entire country had restrictions lifted at the same time all because London numbers were looking good. The North was still struggling. Secondly, the North has a much higher population density on the whole than the South. Thirdly, the North has a much higher rate of deprivation than the South. Fourth - there is a higher rate of face to face jobs in the North, and more people able to work from home in the South.

One of the only areas down South that mirrors conditions in the North is Greater London. And their numbers are surging.....
----------------------------------------------------------------------

In summary....It's not our fault, its someone elses fault or just circumstances!

Where was Burnham when lock down was eased.....on his soap box saying NO ITS TOO EARLY! No he fecking wasnt - so you cant play that BS card now.

So many after the event experts who shift blame everywhere else.

His problem isn’t so much with the restrictions as it is with the lack of economic support going in hand with them, and I support him on that

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Ars is Foot (U10984)
posted 20 minutes ago
The "behaviour" of people is the same all over the country. You have people acting irresponsibly whether they are in Durham or Dover.

The problem the North is currently facing has multiple reasons.

Firstly, the entire country had restrictions lifted at the same time all because London numbers were looking good. The North was still struggling. Secondly, the North has a much higher population density on the whole than the South. Thirdly, the North has a much higher rate of deprivation than the South. Fourth - there is a higher rate of face to face jobs in the North, and more people able to work from home in the South.

One of the only areas down South that mirrors conditions in the North is Greater London. And their numbers are surging.....
----------------------------------------------------------------------

In summary....It's not our fault, its someone elses fault or just circumstances!

Where was Burnham when lock down was eased.....on his soap box saying NO ITS TOO EARLY! No he fecking wasnt - so you cant play that BS card now.

So many after the event experts who shift blame everywhere else.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who the fack mentioned Burnham??

Who the fack is trying to blame anybody??

What the fack are you having a coronary about??

We all know why there is a significant problem in the north it seems but we are not allowed to say.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do we? Are we not?

Please feel free to enlighten us with your unspoken thoughts?

Oh, you mentioned Burnham..... without actually understanding what his point is, mind.

I never claimed to be an expert on anything. I do tend to check what the experts are saying prior to forming an opinion, though.

Calm yourself down, and give it a try 👍

“Oh, you mentioned Burnham..... without actually understanding what his point is, mind.”

Same as that Revolution saddact on the other thread crying about Burnham, missing his point and then calling other people snowflakes 😂

comment by gratedbean (U4885)
posted 20 minutes ago
“Oh, you mentioned Burnham..... without actually understanding what his point is, mind.”

Same as that Revolution saddact on the other thread crying about Burnham, missing his point and then calling other people snowflakes 😂
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I know mate. Probably never stepped foot north of the Watford gap, but KNOWS how everyone past there is behaving. Which is clearly different to how everyone is behaving in the South. 🤷‍♂️

Amazing how many people are complaining about Burnham without actually reading what he said

comment by Ars is Foot (U10984)
posted 1 hour, 25 minutes ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Ars is Foot (U10984)
posted 20 minutes ago
The "behaviour" of people is the same all over the country. You have people acting irresponsibly whether they are in Durham or Dover.

The problem the North is currently facing has multiple reasons.

Firstly, the entire country had restrictions lifted at the same time all because London numbers were looking good. The North was still struggling. Secondly, the North has a much higher population density on the whole than the South. Thirdly, the North has a much higher rate of deprivation than the South. Fourth - there is a higher rate of face to face jobs in the North, and more people able to work from home in the South.

One of the only areas down South that mirrors conditions in the North is Greater London. And their numbers are surging.....
----------------------------------------------------------------------

In summary....It's not our fault, its someone elses fault or just circumstances!

Where was Burnham when lock down was eased.....on his soap box saying NO ITS TOO EARLY! No he fecking wasnt - so you cant play that BS card now.

So many after the event experts who shift blame everywhere else.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who the fack mentioned Burnham??

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The OP in his first line

I was answering your comment, and I've already covered that. Keep up 👍

Burnham said:

I've said it may be that we need to look at a national circuit break as preferable to this unfunded, risky regional lockdown strategy.

"We have to protect the health of the nation but let's do it as one nation, and not make the north of England the sacrificial lamb for an ill-thought-through Downing Street policy which doesn't make sense in the real world."


As i said above, my local hospital (with +500 beds) has 3 patients covid positive. Manchester had 14 deaths yesterday alone.

Burnham calling for 80% furlough scheme for Manchester but also calling for a national circuit break. If we can barely afford it on a regional basis, how the feck can we afford it on a national basis. A national approach that is not warranted by the huge areas of the country which have not been affect like the NW is now.

A**s if Foot has already made the case that the circumstances of the NW are different - dense population/ more face to face work etc and passed that off as some credible reason for the regional spike so how does that justify a national lockdown.

The NW is not being a guinea pig in this, it is just not right to cripple the rest of the country at massive expense when the spikes are geographical.

Scientists may be calling for a wider lock down but they are looking a one aspect, health. The Govt, has to balance the health and the economy and the cure cannot be worse than the symptoms.

I can understand that Burnham wants more financial support but it has to be affordable.

Why’s it suddenly unaffordable?

There’s still £100m contracts being dished out for faulty/unsuitable PPE

It's true, Burnham did say that, but his speech was a lot longer.

In summary he said that PHE, and the governments own advisors, have said that the tiered system of local lockdown will not work. It will not stop the spread. If that is the case, then why is the North having to go through it? If the government truly believe their system will work then fine, but atleast support the people better. The cost is going to be a hell of a lot worse with the financial and health implications of thousands more people falling into poverty.

He even said that a circuit break national lockdown is not necessarily the opinions of Manchester, but in comparison to what is being implemented it has a better chance of working.

Yes, it would be costly. It'll be alot more costly to allow the virus to rip through the country again and be reactive to it, instead of proactive.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 2 minutes ago
Why’s it suddenly unaffordable?

There’s still £100m contracts being dished out for faulty/unsuitable PPE
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Well may be Furlough has cost £40bn already, not to mention the loss of revenue to add to this due to the economic down turn and the vast sums going in to the NHS etc

Burnham cannot on the one hand demand 80% furlough for his region and then also seek a nationwide circuit break because that then sees the whole country needing financial support.

To put in to perspective, planned NHS spending was increased in 2020 by £7bn from the previous year (ignoring covid)

There is a balance to be made between health and economy. Both will suffer, there is no golden solution.

comment by Ars is Foot (U10984)
posted 6 minutes ago
It's true, Burnham did say that, but his speech was a lot longer.

In summary he said that PHE, and the governments own advisors, have said that the tiered system of local lockdown will not work. It will not stop the spread. If that is the case, then why is the North having to go through it? If the government truly believe their system will work then fine, but atleast support the people better. The cost is going to be a hell of a lot worse with the financial and health implications of thousands more people falling into poverty.

He even said that a circuit break national lockdown is not necessarily the opinions of Manchester, but in comparison to what is being implemented it has a better chance of working.

Yes, it would be costly. It'll be alot more costly to allow the virus to rip through the country again and be reactive to it, instead of proactive.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

and if you read what the MEDICAL experts have said, it is that the lock down needs to be tighter and more wide spread to be totally effective.

Its not so much that the tier system does not work but that it is not the silver bullet. But the silver bullet solution is everyone stays in their homes and doesnt leave. This cannot happen for obvious reasons.

Bored of saying it, its a balance between health and economy, as well as targeting areas affected.

Why should i suffer a lockdown when its under control in my country of 2 million people?

I felt the same way when the financial rug was pulled from under me because infection rates were high 200 miles away in London

“Bored of saying it, its a balance between health and economy, as well as targeting areas affected.”

Don’t disagree with that. But the economic support of a tier 3 lockdown is not proportionate, hence Mcr local leaders are pushing for an acceptable deal.