Greater Manchester leaders urge Government to lift ‘unfair’ restrictions on Wigan
Addressed to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, the letter urges the Government to make the residents of Wigan exempt from the current rules - which prevent people from meeting other households indoors.
Mayor Andy Burnham and Greater Manchester council leadershave written a letter to the Government asking them to ease restrictions in the town of Wigan.
Addressed to Matt Hancock, the letter urges the Health Secretary to make the residents of Wigan exempt from the current rules – which prevent people from meeting other households indoors.
The Mayor has said that “at this point the restrictions are unfair on people.”
🗣️ "In the case of Wigan, I support @WiganCouncil in saying that at this point the restrictions are unfair on people," says Andy.
"I'll be asking the Secretary of State to release Wigan."
Today following Greater Manchester’s Emergency COVID-19 Committee, Leaders & @MayorofGM@AndyBurnhamGM agreed correspondence to be sent to the Secretary of State @mhclg to urgently urge Government to extend the evictions ban set to be lifted on Monday 24th August.👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/k0cpibcex8
The 7-day rate of positive tests is substantially lower in Wigan than any other Greater Manchester borough – with the town recording 9.4 per 100,000 people in the week ending 15/08.
The Government is also being asked to look at allowing certain businesses, such as beauty parlours, to reopen in every borough except Oldham.
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“We’ve taken a proper look at the evidence with regard to spread, and we don’t believe those businesses are adding to spread,” said Mayor Burnham.
Oldham remains the worst-affected of all boroughs, but council leaders are hoping to avoid a local lockdown after infection rates came down from 109.7 to 83.1 in the space of a week.
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Burnham added: “For the first time, we are now saying that the measures appear to be working,”
Infection rates have fallen in Bolton, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside according to the most recent data.
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Bury, Manchester, Salford and Trafford, on the other hand, have experienced a rise in positive tests.
Measures are set to be reviewed again in the coming days.
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Peter Kay announces four intimate charity shows in Greater Manchester – but only for these postcodes
Emily Sergeant
Peter Kay has just announced four intimate shows to raise money for a very worthy cause… but you can only get tickets if you live in these particular postcodes.
Comedy legend Peter Kay is set to return home to the Bolton Albert Halls for four very special hometown shows in this summer, marking his first performances at the venue more than two decades.
Taking to the very stage where he recorded the UK’s biggest-selling stand-up DVD, it’s set to be a proper nostalgic homecoming for one of Britain’s most beloved comedians.
The summer shows – which are taking place from 9 – 11 July 2026, even including a matinee performance – this is a rare chance for local fans to be part of something incredibly special, with all funds raised going to Bolton Hospice.
But, there’s a bit of a catch… you’ll only be able to get tickets if you live in Bolton (and some parts of Bury), as it’s strictly limited to BL postcodes.
Peter Kay Live at the Bolton Albert Halls – 2026 Dates
Thursday 9 July (Evening)
Friday 10 July (Evening)
Saturday 11 July (Matinee)
Saturday 11 July (Evening)
Tickets officially go on sale Friday 24 April at 10am, and you can get your hands on them here.
Featured Image – Supplied
News
Seven in 10 NHS workers think the health service is ‘poorly prepared’ for another pandemic
Emily Sergeant
A new survey has revealed that seven in 10 NHS workers believe the health service is ‘poorly prepared’ for another pandemic if one should arise.
After the recent meningitis B outbreak in Kent last month raised the conversation of mass contagion once again, of course following the COVID-19 pandemic, a new YouGov survey of more than 1,000 NHS workers has now uncovered how well prepared staff in the health service think it is for another global pandemic.
The results show that 69% of staff surveyed think the health service is ‘poorly prepared’ for another pandemic, and to make matters worse, 26% of those even say it’s ‘very poorly’ prepared.
Only one in five (22%) think the NHS is could properly handle another pandemic, but statistically, YouGov claims none of those surveyed said it’s ‘very well’ prepared.
Seven in 10 NHS workers think the health service is ‘poorly prepared’ for another pandemic / Credit: Pxhere | Rawpixel
When workers were asked how the NHS’s level of preparedness now compares to prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 41% did concede that they think it is better prepared now than 2020, however 37% admitted they think it’s no better prepared.
16% actively think it’s less well-prepared now than it was prior to 2020.
This marked a new era of ‘transparency’ and ‘accountability’ in the NHS, with the league tables delivering on the Government’s promise to drive up standards, tackle variation in care, and ensure people get the high-quality service they rightly expect.
Every trust in England – from urgent and emergency care, through to elective operations and mental health services – will now be ranked quarterly against ‘clear and consistent’ standards.
The Manc -
20th August 2020 
