Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock knew strict native restrictions “would not work”, a livid Andy Burnham has informed the Covid Inquiry.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester additionally accused ministers of “behaving appallingly” at a gathering to impose Tier 3 restrictions on the town in late 2020.
The tiered system was launched in October 2020 with essentially the most extreme stage – three – banning individuals from socialising indoors. Bars and eating places had been solely capable of serve prospects on a takeaway foundation whereas neighbouring areas is also positioned below much less extreme ranges of restrictions.
Appearing visibly offended Mr Burnham quoted from unseen written proof Mr Hancock, the previous Health Secretary, offered to the Covid Inquiry. “He says in his evidence about Tier 3, ‘I was in despair that we had announced a policy that we knew would not work.”‘
Mr Burnham – branded ‘King of the North’ for his rows with Boris Johnson’s authorities through the disaster – added: “It makes me angry on behalf of the people of Greater Manchester that they sat in that room and they imposed a policy that they had been advised by SAGE and others would not work.”
He additionally referred to an official minute of a prime authorities assembly the place he mentioned a “punishment beating” for Greater Manchester was mentioned. Reading an extract, he mentioned: “Lancashire should have a lighter set of measures imposed than Greater Manchester since they had shown a greater willingness to co-operate. “Tougher measures must be imposed on Greater Manchester that day.”
Mr Burnham added: “Because we stood up for individuals in our metropolis area who would in any other case have actually struggled had they gone into that lockdown with out the funds to assist them, as a result of we took that stand they determined to make an instance of us.”
The Greater Manchester Mayor also blasted the late notice given to Greater Manchester when the Government imposed local restrictions in the summer of 2020. He said he had received “minimal discover” from the then-Health Secretary Mr Hancock. “This was as chaotic because it will get – he gave me an hour to talk to native leaders.”
He added: “What I bear in mind is about 8 o’clock that evening, the well being secretary gave a really cursory announcement to a TV digicam in 4 Millbank that we might be going below these restrictions after which all hell broke unfastened.”
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram also told the Inquiry he needed 24-hour police protection after Mr Johnson announced his area would be placed under Tier 3 rules. He had previously agreed with Mr Johnson that they should work together on announcing the move in autumn 2020. But later the same day ex-PM independently announced the restrictions.
Mr Rotheram said: “Without any notification to me, then we needed to attempt to decide up the items.”
Sadiq Khan also warned that lives could have been saved if No10 hadn’t excluded London officials from emergency meetings. The Mayor of London told the Covid Inquiry he was “saved at midnight” by Downing Street as the virus ripped through the capital and his attempts to attend COBRA meetings were repeatedly rebuffed.
When he was finally allowed to attend on March 16, he was left “nearly winded” by the severity of the crisis. Boris Johnson described it as the biggest challenge facing the UK since the Second World War at the meeting, he said. The London Mayor said he kept pushing the flip-flopping PM for more restrictions but he wasn’t even aware of lockdowns in other countries at a meeting on March 19.
It also emerged Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove, who will appear at the Inquiry, was accused of “imposing things on mayors” in written evidence to the Inquiry.
Patrick Vallance suggested the Cabinet minister thought central Government should be able to force measures on local areas. “Gove argues for imposing things on mayors. ‘Why are we negotiating. This is the [government] of the UK. Just make it happen,’” the former Chief Scientific Adviser jotted down in his handwritten notes in October 2020. On the same day, he wrote down: “PM says ‘I am all in favour of ruling with a rod of iron but I was advised to engage and bring people along.’”