Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham says the region will have a “very strong case” to exit Tier 3within two weeks – calling on all local MPs to vote against the measures in the Commons.
The government confirmed that the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester are destined for Tier 3 measures when lockdown ends on December 2 – meaning all local hospitality (except for takeaway) and indoor entertainment will remain closed.
The decision has been met with chagrin; as data shows weekly case rates and hospital admissions falling across Greater Manchester.
The Mayor said he is hoping the government will review their decision before Christmas – with local leaders set to make “the strongest possible argument” to move down to Tier 2.
Here’s the evidence behind the Government’s decision on GM.
People will have to draw their own conclusions on the rights/wrongs.
What I can say is we’ll likely have a very strong case for Tier 2 in two weeks.
Burnham stated: “People will have to draw their own conclusions on the rights/wrongs.
“What I can say is we’ll likely have a very strong case for Tier 2 in two weeks.”
The government – hoping to avoid another high-profile tug of war with Burnham over tier terms like in October – has already said that tiers will be non-negotiable.
But the Mayor has called on local MPs to “join us in a strong cross-party appeal”.
There is already evidence that some Conservative MPs may protest the measures.
Sir Graham Brady, MP for Altrincham & Sale West, has already said he will vote against the government next week when the proposed tier system goes to the Commons, claiming he had “severe reservations on so many different levels.”
MP for Hazel Grove, William Wragg, also hinted he would vote against his constituency entering Tier 3.
“Stockport’s Covid rates continue to fall sharply and will no doubt be lower still next week,” he said.
“We should be considered for tiering on a Local Authority basis. As we have not been, I cannot support these proposals.”
Stockport’s Covid rates continue to fall sharply and will no doubt be lower still next week. We should be considered for tiering on a Local Authority basis. As we have not been, I cannot support these proposals. https://t.co/C4ZdaEyhKz
Mary Robinson, MP for Cheadle, also said she would “continue to argue” for a borough by borough approach that would separate lower risk regions from others.
“Stockport borough continues to have a notably lower infection rate than the rest of Greater Manchester, with a pattern of decline,” she stated.
“I have argued in the past for a borough by borough approach when it comes to tier allocations, supported by the data.”
The new tier system is set to go to a vote on Tuesday.
News
‘Dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture goes on public display in Greater Manchester after fears it was lost
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost masterpiece of Victorian silverwork has been saved and is now on display to the public in Greater Manchester.
Anyone taking a trip over to the National Trust’s historic Dunham Massey property, on the border of Greater Manchester into Cheshire, this summer will get to see the ‘dazzling’ sculpture called Stags in Bradgate Park – which was commissioned by a former owner in a defiant gesture to the society that shunned him.
The dramatic sculpture of two rutting Red Deer stags, commissioned in 1855 by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford, was said to be an ‘act of love and rebellion’.
It also serves as a symbol of ‘locking horns’ with the society that ostracised him over his marriage to a woman considered ‘beneath him’.
“This isn’t just silver – it’s a story,” says James Rothwell, who is the National Trust‘s curator for decorative arts.
“A story of a man who fell in love with a woman that society deemed unworthy. When the Earl married Catherine Cox, whose colourful past was said to have included performing in a circus, Victorian high society was scandalised. Even Queen Victoria shunned the couple at the opera and local gentry at the horse races in Cheshire turned their backs on them.”
Modelled by Alfred Brown and crafted by royal goldsmiths Hunt & Roskell, Stags in Bradgate Park is a meticulously-detailed depiction of nature, and was considered a ‘sensation’ in its day.
Showing the rutting deer positioned on a rocky outcrop with gnarled hollow oaks, it graced the pages of the Illustrated London News, was exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862, and at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 – both of which were events that drew millions of visitors.
A ‘dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture has gone on public display in Greater Manchester / Credit: Joe Wainwright | James Dobson (via Supplied)
The silver centrepiece was the celebrity art of its time, paraded through streets and admired by the public like no other.
Gradually over the years, some of the Earl of Stamford’s silver collection has been re-acquired for Dunham Massey, and this particular world-renowned sculpture, thought to be lost for decades and feared to have been melted down, has miraculously survived with its ‘dramatic’ central component being all that is left.
“The sculpture is not only a technical marvel, with its lifelike depiction of Bradgate Park’s rugged landscape and wildlife, but also a dramatic human story key to the history of Dunham Massey,” added Emma Campagnaro, who is the Property Curator at Dunham Massey.
“It speaks of nature, of craftsmanship, and of a couple who chose each other over status and what others thought of them.”
The sculpture has now gone on display at Dunham Massey from Thursday 26 June.
Featured Image – James Dobson (via Supplied)
News
Lewis Capaldi announces MASSIVE comeback gig in Manchester this year
Thomas Melia
Everyone’s favourite Scottish ballad-maker, Lewis Capaldi, is heading out on tour across the UK, including a massive Manchester date.
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is ready to tug at our heartstrings again right in front of our eyes as he announces a new UK arena tour.
This huge announcement comes right after his surprise set at the UK’s biggest music event of the year, Glastonbury, where he made a heroic return to the Pyramid Stage just two years after being forced to pull out.
Capaldi is known for writing some of the most notable and emotive hits of the late 2010s and early 2020s, including a long list of anthems such as ‘Someone You Loved’, ‘Bruises’ and ‘Before You Go’.
His monster of a hit ‘Someone You Loved’ has surpassed 3.9 billion views and is the UK’s most-streamed song of all time, so it is safe to say that his presence has been well and truly missed.
To many fans’ delight, the singer has stepped back into the spotlight and is ready to sing his heart out live at a variety of arenas across the UK, including Co-op Live right here in Manchester.
Now, in a post on his official Instagram account announcing this upcoming UK and Ireland arena tour, it’s good to see the Scottish powerhouse hasn’t lost his wit and charm as he jokes, “About time I got back to work.”
These shows are set to be in high demand as the singer has also revealed these upcoming dates, “Will be my only shows in the UK, Ireland or Europe this year! Would love to see ya there.”
On the back of his glorious Glasto return, Capaldi has dropped a huge heart-wrencher titled ‘Survive’ which offers more insight into the struggles and challenges the singer has been facing.
There is no confirmation of whether this new single marks the launch of a bigger project or not, but we can’t wait to scream his hits at the top of our lungs, regardless of when he pays Manchester a visit later this year.
The Manc -
27th November 2020 
