UK lockdowns: Wales and Manchester head towards tougher restrictions

The UK government plans to impose tougher lockdowns in Wales and Greater Manchester over the rising number of coronavirus cases across the United Kingdom.

The UK recorded 16,982 new daily cases of coronavirus in the space of 24 hours, show government data issued on Sunday, up from 16,717 the previous day.

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Following a public row with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of trying to sacrifice the north of England to save jobs in the south, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced a lockdown could be imposed within days.

“We do need to conclude this,” Jenrick said of talks he held with local leaders, noting the basis for an agreement was there.

Johnson has warned that the area could be put into “Tier 3” - the highest level of restrictions according to which pubs and bars are closed and different households are banned from mixing indoors - against the will of local leaders if agreement is impossible.

Jenrick also expressed hope that a deal could be reached with Manchester leaders on Monday, with newspapers reports showing that tens of millions of pounds were on offer to help businesses get through the lockdown.

“Delay will only make the situation worse, will only put people’s lives at risk, and will only make the economic fallout for the city worse in the long term,” Jenrick told BBC TV.

The devolved Welsh government is also slated to announce a possible “fire break” set of extra measures on Monday aimed at controlling the virus.

“There is a growing consensus we now need to introduce a different set of measures and actions to respond to the virus as it continues to spread across Wales more quickly during the autumn and winter months ahead,” a spokesman for the Welsh government said.

Jenrick went on to say that a short, nationwide full lockdown was not a “sensible” way to deal with the disease in the future and that it was not presently being considered.

Meanwhile, Burnham turned to Westminster to help break the impasse, writing to party leaders to warn that “most places” will wind up in Tier 3 at some point before a vaccine becomes available.

“We recognize the uncertainty that this is causing and write to ask for your help in breaking the impasse and finding a fair resolution,” Burnham said.

“This could be done by Parliament calling an urgent debate and vote this week to establish a cross-party consensus on what constitutes a fair financial framework for people in areas under Tier 3 restrictions.”

UK's Johnson has lost control of coronavirus: Labour

Prime Minister Johnson has lost control of the coronavirus pandemic, says opposition Labour’s pensions policy chief.

Johnson has been under criticism over handling of the virus and last week Labour criticized the prime minister for losing control of the pandemic in the UK.

"The government has lost control of the messaging, they've lost control of Test and Trace and they've lost control of the virus," said Labour’s pensions policy chief Jonathan Reynolds.

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