Prime Minister warns he will impose Tier 3 restrictions on Greater Manchester if no agreement struck

The Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference: “On recent trends, in just over two weeks there will be more Covid patients in intensive care than at the peak of the first wave so I urge the mayor to reconsider and engage constructively.

“I cannot stress enough: time is of the essence. Each day that passes before action is taken means more people will go to hospital, more people will end up in intensive care and tragically more people will die.

“Of course, if agreement cannot be reached I will need to intervene in order to protect Manchester’s hospitals and save the lives of Manchester’s residents. But our efforts would be so much more effective if we work together.”

Greater Manchester’s political leaders are continuing to resist pressure from Boris Johnson to accept the highest level of coronavirus restrictions.

Regional mayor Andy Burnham and council leaders wrote: “At our last meeting with Downing Street officials yesterday morning, we were told they would arrange a further meeting later in the day to provide a response to our requests.

“That did not happen and, despite being on standby all day today, we are still waiting for it to be arranged. We can assure the Prime Minister that we are ready to meet at any time to try to agree a way forward.

“We can also say with confidence that we have done, and will continue to do, everything within our power to protect the health of our residents, including being the first area in the country to agree to local restrictions back in July.

“We are not convinced that closing hospitality venues is the only way to protect hospitals and we want to look at other measures, such as reinstating shielding arrangements and introducing tougher instant closure powers on non-compliant pubs, restaurants, shops and other business premises.

“We firmly believe that protecting health is about more than controlling the virus, and requires proper support for people whose lives would be severely affected by a Tier-3 lockdown.

“We do not believe that the current proposals provide adequate support and that is why we await further talks.”

Sir Patrick Vallance, asked whether people would die as a result of the row between Downing Street and regions about local lockdowns, said: “These are horrendously difficult decisions and there are harms on both sides.

“From a purely epidemiological point of view, it is important to go quite fast on this, it is important to make sure you go hard enough to get the R below 1 and the sooner you do that the sooner you get this under control.”

It comes after the Government announced that a further 1.5 million people in England will be placed under the toughest coronavirus restrictions this weekend as Lancashire moves into Tier 3.

The Government said the move was to stem the “unrelenting rise” in Covid-19 cases in the North West.

Pubs and bars across Lancashire will close unless they serve food and alcohol as part of a sit-down meal from Saturday, while stricter restrictions on socialising will also come into force.

People will not be able to mix with others in any indoor setting or private garden, as well as in most outdoor hospitality venues.

Casinos, bingo halls, bookmakers, betting shops, soft play areas and adult gaming centres will be forced to shut, while car boot sales will also be banned.

But gyms will remain open despite them being closed in the Liverpool City Region – the only other area of England under Tier 3 restrictions.