Andy Burnham has joined calls to shut schools in England as part of the second national lockdown – claiming that a temporary closure could bring casesdown enough for Greater Manchester to enjoy “some kind of Christmas.”
The Mayor of Greater Manchester suggested that sending children home during the final two weeks of November may help prevent lockdown being dragged on into the festive holidays.
Over the weekend, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons announced that England would re-enter lockdown for a four-week period beginning on November 5.
A key difference between this ‘stay at home’ order and the one enforced in March is that education facilities remain open this time around.
Schools, colleges and universities have all been encouraged to operate as normal, whilst many other premises close.
ADVERTISEMENT
But Mayor Burnham said he wanted to see schools shut for a “period” in order to “create the conditions” for Christmas.
Pixabay
“I remain of the view a circuit break needs to be a true circuit break if it’s to have the effect it needs to have to re-set things,” Burnham said at a press conference on Sunday,
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’s my view we do need to have a period of closure in our schools if we are to get those cases right down and avoid a scenario where large parts of the North West are simply put back into Tier 3.”
The Mayor added: “I would suggest a period of two weeks’ closure towards the second half of November so that schools have time to prepare online learning, but that would create the conditions for the biggest drop in cases that we could achieve and it would then create the conditions for some kind of Christmas for more families because they need it right now.”
The National Education Union (NEU), the biggest teaching union in the UK, has also called for the nationwide closure of schools (with exceptions for the “vulnerable” pupils with key workers parents).
ADVERTISEMENT
We are calling for the bill presented to Parliament this week to be amended to include the closure of schools and colleges in the lockdown.
NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “We are worried this will just lead to another lockdown later. We think it will not work if schools are not included.”
The new lockdown rules for England, which come into effect on Thursday and will be in place until at least December 2, state that:
There will be no mixing of households anywhere in the country, except for in cases where childcare and other forms of support are necessary.
Pubs, bars and restaurants must close
Non-essential shops must also close
All outbound international travel is banned, except for work
Gyms must close
Travel within the UK is discouraged
Schools, however, are set to remain open until the Christmas holidays.
News
The MOBO Awards in Manchester – everything you need to know
Thomas Melia
It’s official, the MOBOs are coming to Manchester for a night of live music performances and international artists, all at Co-op Live.
This award show, dedicated to music created by black creatives and musicians, has been hosted in cities nationwide, most recently in Newcastle, but 2026 marks its first time ever in the music capital of the North: Manchester.
A whole host of impressive musicians and acts take to the stage every year, with iconic moments throughout the award show’s history attributed to R&B royalty Lauryn Hill and Queen of Dancehall, Spice.
This award show is dedicated to celebrating Music of Black Origin but is recognised more widely as the MOBOs, with the aim of platforming as many genres as possible, from reggae and rap to soul, hip-hop and more.
Odeal and Spice performing at MOBOs 2025 in Newcastle / Credit: Nick Redman
The MOBOs first took place in 1996, and since then, founder Kanya King and her team have created a legacy – one now set to celebrate its 30th anniversary at 23,500 indoor venue Co-op Live.
MOBOs 2026 guide – all the key info
Are there still tickets left for the MOBO Awards ceremony at Co-op Live?
In a word, yes; there is still a healthy amount of tickets, both general admission and hospitality/VIP packages, if you fancy splashing out.
There’s still time to secure a seat, so grab yours HERE while you still can.
What time do the 2026 MOBOs start in Manchester and on TV?
This year, the MOBOs won’t be broadcast on mainstream TV channels; the award show has decided to collaborate with Amazon.
The show will be live-streamed via Amazon Music UK’s official Twitch account on Thursday, 26 March from 8pm – watch HERE.
There’s also an ‘Access All Areas’ programme hosted by DJ Target on BBC One with interviews and all the red carpet action on Friday 27 March, recapping all the action HERE.
All live streams and official channels have a finishing time of 10:30pm, meaning you can enjoy a night of huge performances while also getting a good quality kip.
Eve and Eddie Kadi are hosting this year’s MOBOs in Manchester / Credit: MOBO Organisation
2026 MOBO nominations
Obviously, the focus of this night isn’t just toasting 30 years of music with Black British culture and beyond, but recognising those pushing the industry forward in their field(s).
Lots of current and up-and-coming acts have found their way onto the list of nominees for the MOBOs this year – many for the very first time.
Shortlisted are the likes of the neo-soul singer-songwriting sensation, Olivia Dean, fellow female solo artists, PinkPantheress and Little Simz; Central Cee, Skepta, Kojey Radical, Raye, Myles Smith and FKA twigs, just to name a few excitinng few.
The MOBOs are known for some of the most insane live performances by some of the music industry’s biggest stars, this year with presenters Eve and Eddie Kadi.
Get ready for the Co-op Live crowd to chant “DEANO!” as the aforementioned Ms Dean will be performing on the night, and with the amount of hits this ‘Lady Lady’ has, we’re bound to know every word.
The ‘Queen of Afrobeats’, Tiwa Savage, is set to take to the stage and her album, This One Is Personal, helped soundtrack 2025, like the Skepta collaboration ‘On The Low’. With ‘Skeppy’ in attendance, anything is possible…
Dancehall diva Shenseea will be performing and has seen massive international success on MOLIY’s single ‘Shake It To The Max (Remix)’, Aya Nakamura duet ‘Dis-moi’, and solo hit ‘Time For Me’.
R&B trio FLO, Manchester rapper Aitch, Myles Smith, Slick Rick and Estelle, as well as a grime medley featuring Wiley, Chip, Nolay, Scorcher and D Double E curated by DJ Target, are also putting on a show – Co-op Live is in for a treat.
Tiwa Savage, FLO and Shenseea are just some of the acts taking to the Co-op Live stage / Credit: Press Shots via supplied
Who else is on the live music line-up in Manchester for MOBOs Fringe?
With the MOBO Awards heading to town for the very first time, there’s also a whole host of events taking place at various independent venues throughout the city.
Some may have already passed in the build-up to event week, such as a special partnered Manchester Basketball game for the MOBO Fringe festival, but if you time to go along to any of the ones still remaining, we strongly urge you to do so.
Get your MOBOs fix ahead of the show by attending some stellar upcoming acts as you gear up for the big event next Thursday night.
Fri 20 March – Shimrise Selects – The Deaf Institute
Sat 21 March – Mobørigins – Renae
Sat 21 March – Habitat x MOBO Fringe – Cupra City Garage
Sun 22 March – Manchester Made: Roots, Rhyme & The Future – Niamos Centre
Sun 22 March – Aarchive House – Side Street
Sun 22 March – Crib Sessions with Faro – Side Street
There are plenty of events ahead of the MOBOs that you can get involved with across Manchester / Credit: Nick Flynn via supplied
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
ADVERTISEMENT
For those of you heading to Co-op Live to watch the BRIT Awards shows in person, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s also worth noting that anyone with a valid BRITs ticket is granted FREE travel from all zones travelling to and from the venue.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
ADVERTISEMENT
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town under ‘ambitious’ Government housebuilding programme
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town under an ‘ambitious’ proposed Government housebuilding programme.
Manchester Victoria North is one of seven new towns that have been proposed.
Named for consideration as part of what the Government is referring to as the most ambitious housebuilding programme in more than half a century, the locations of seven new towns have been revealed this week, and also include other northern locations like Leeds South Bank, as well as places in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, and Greenwich.
The Government says that the next generation of new towns are to be ‘built for the future from the ground up’.
They will create well-connected new communities with homes, jobs, schools, green spaces, and suitable transport links planned from the start.
Each proposed location is expected to deliver at least 10,000 homes – with several delivering 40,000 or more in the decades to come.
Greater Manchester could be getting a new town / Credit: Manchester City Council
All seven of the proposed new towns are set to be designed for modern everyday life, the Government insists – with neighbourhoods that people can easily get around without a car, incorporating shared green spaces and ‘vibrant’ high streets.
As part of the Manchester Victoria North proposals announced this week, at least 15,000 homes regenerating the heart of Greater Manchester are to be built, with a new Metrolink stop connecting residents to jobs across the city.
“People want real change,” explained Housing Secretary, Steve Reed. “They want homes they can afford, local infrastructure that works, and good jobs in thriving communities.
“Our next generation of new towns marks a turning point in how we build for the future.
“From the ground up, we’re planning whole communities with homes, jobs, transport links, and green spaces designed together, so we can give families the security and opportunities they deserve.”
Alongside the new towns consultation, the Government has also confirmed today that the National Housing Bank will launch on 1 April, backed by up to £16 billion of financial capacity and aiming to deliver over 500,000 new homes.
The Government has also confirmed additional support worth up to £400 million over the next decade for ‘subsidised products’.
The Manc -
2nd November 2020 
