“Their attitude now is: ‘you’ll get what we give you.'”
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham arrived at Bridgewater Hall on Tuesday afternoon to share some bad news.
There would be no deal for the North-West region – with local leaders unable to come to an agreement despite 11 days of negotiations.
Greater Manchester would be placed into Tier 3 by force instead – and have extra measures imposed at the stroke of midnight on Thursday evening.
But there was no hint of a defeatist attitude in Burnham’s address.
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The Mayor opened the press conference with typical, politician-like professionalism, but as the conference wore on, his tone became bullish, and eventually angry.
Flanked by members of his local councils, Burnham passionately defended his region and claimed the fight would go on.
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“It cannot be right to close businesses without proper support so they can look after themselves and their families through a very challenging winter that lies ahead of us,” he told reporters.
[This] was not about what we wanted. It was about what we needed.
“The government should realise that, if they are asking people to close down places of work, they have to fully support them.
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“The ‘whatever it takes’ attitude from earlier this year has gone. Now it is ‘you’ll get what we give you’.”
From 00.01 Friday, in every Greater Manchester borough, pubs and bars that do not serve substantial meals will need to close.
Betting shops, casinos, bingo halls, adult gaming centres and soft play areas must also shut.
There is also a total ban on household mixing with people discouraged from travelling in/out of the area.
You haven’t got this quite right Chris.
We asked for £90m – which is the cost of an 80% furlough & self-employed scheme.
We were offered £60m – 66% of our ask, the same that pub staff in Heywood & Middleton are deemed to be worth.
To cope with the incoming “hardship” of Tier 3, local leaders requested £90m – a demand which was eventually lowered to £65m (which Burnham called the “bare minimum”).
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The government offered Greater Manchester £60m and refused to go any higher.
Hours later, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he would impose Tier 3 measures on Greater Manchester with £28m of initial support.
The £60m deal – which Health Secretary Matt Hancock insists is “fair” – remains on the table.
Negotiations will continue.
But in the meantime, Greater Manchester has reacted. And so has the rest of the country.
Down south, a mock London Underground board was created with the message “London stands with Manchester”, whilst Labour Leader Kier Starmer called the government’s treatment of the North West a “disgrace”, claiming his party would force Parliament to vote for a fair deal for communities facing restrictions.
Liverpool mayor Steve Rotherham – whose region is already under Tier 3 restrictions – emphasised there was “solidarity” in the north, criticising the government for “making us fight for millions.”
Within Manchester itself, the mood was one of frustration and disappointment.
Sacha Lord described himself as “speechless” at the government’s actions, claiming it was a “total disregard for the relentless work Andy Burnham and our Leaders have done to keep people in our City region from poverty.”
Wigan MP Lisa Nandy also expressed her irritation, claiming it “feels like this Government is actively working against us to inflict harm on its citizens”.
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Angry. Disappointed. Speechless.
A total disregard for the relentless work @AndyBurnhamGM and our Leaders have done to keep people in our City region from poverty.
I will make my feelings on this shambolic Government decision clear tomorrow.
Burnham has repeatedly claimed that getting a good deal has been about “more than Greater Manchester.”
The Liverpool ECHO’s political correspondent Liam Thorp described the Mayor as “standing up for local government that has been battered and criminally underfunded for the past 10 years.”
And the flood of support that’s come in for Greater Manchester suggests that Burnham’s actions have indeed struck a chord.
Yesterday’s midday deadline was provided by the government in an attempt to end the tier saga. But the reaction this morning demonstrates that this is far from over.
When talks do finally conclude, whenever that will be, this episode won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
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Four rare African ducklings have been hatched at Chester Zoo for the very first time
Danny Jones
More conversation celebration down the road at Chester Zoo, as the award-winning wildlife park has welcomed four African ducklings who belong to a rare breed.
As is so often the case with the work they do all year-round, their arrival could help signal the species’ survival in the long run, whose status was sadly upgraded from vulnerable to endangered on the official IUCN Red List.
The particular type of fowl we’re referring to is the Maccao duck, a stiff-tailed bird that typically belongs to the fresh and brackish inland waters of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Medium-sized, chunky, with big bills and subtle striping around their heads, they’re gorgeous creatures as is, but especially so as ducklings…
If you didn’t say ‘awww’ out loud, then you’re just lying.
As the Zoo itself put it, they are “rare, fluffy and VERY cute.” Celebrating what is “a breeding breakthrough for one of Africa’s rarest ducks […] so these little guys are kind of a big deal.”
These little delightful little duckies are known for diving down to the bottom of lakes and riverbeds to forage for aquatic invertebrates and plants; in fact, given the choice, they tend to prefer going underwater over flying pretty much full-stop.
As a resident species that doesn’t migrate like many other birds, they are native to nations like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. They’re identifiable by their dark black heads, blue bills (among the males, at least) and presence within the wetlands.
However, their estimated numbers continue to drop, and unfortunately, just 14 of their kind currently remain in Kenya and only 100 in Tanzania, with fewer than 5,000 believed to be left across the entire African continent.
Not only is this the first time the species has ever been successfully bred by bird experts at Chester Zoo, but conservationists hope ducklings will put a spotlight on the threatened species.
Their scientific name is ‘Oxyura maccoa’.Just like human babies, they prone to stuff all over their face.As far as ducklings go, these adorable little African variants are pretty special. (Credit: Supplied)
The zoo’s Head of Birds, Andrew Owen, said of their birth: “As one of just seven zoos in Europe – and 12 zoos globally – that care for Maccoa ducks, these ducklings are very special as they’re the first of their kind to ever hatch here at the zoo – making it a really historic moment for our team,
“This success gives a real boost to the future of the species, and these vital new additions will contribute to the safety-net population in zoos. These birds are facing rapid decline in the wild, so every hatchling really does count.
“To see them now out on the water inside our new Heart of Africa habitat, which is dedicated to helping Africa’s most threatened species thrive, makes this milestone even more special.”
Nothing short of brilliant news, we’re sure you’ll agree; better still, in addition to the crucially charitable and conversation-based tourist attraction being named one of England’s most popular destinations once again, but these are the only rare birds welcome by the zookeepers this month.
Vogue’s immersive ‘Inventing the Runway’ show is coming to Manchester
Thomas Melia
A Vogue immersive show titled ‘Inventing the Runway’ is coming to Manchester, and it’s even co-created by Anna Wintour herself.
Ever fancied learning more about the fashion world? Well, now’s your chance to hear everything you need to know from global fashion leaders and lifestyle magazine Vogue.
The Anna Wintour-approved immersive experience comes alongside the announcement of Factory International‘s Winter lineup, which features another new event all about voyaging to the moon.
This Vogue-fronted experience will incorporate interviews, visual media and more to help attendees visualise fashion shows of the past, present and future.
As well as understanding how fashion shows became the pinnacle of a designer’s vision, this runway-themed display also includes looking back at iconic moments of fashion and pop culture.
‘Inventing the Runway’ by Vogue is focusing on outfits worn by models and A-listers alike, with narration from the one and only Cate Blanchett.
You can expect to see curated pieces by significant creative minds in fashion history like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and lots more.
Throughout the Vogue experience, as well as coming visually face to face with fashion, you will also hear a soundscape that perfectly reflects this innovative industry with a fusion of classical and pop music.
This fashion exhibition uses the same Lightroom technology behind the impressive David Hockney experience that opened back in December.
Vogue is using this show to honour anyone who has made an impact in the fashion world.The Met Gala has become a staple in everyone’s calendar year in and year out.First Northern Quarter’s Chanel show, now this… Très chic. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons/GoodFon)
Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer, Condé Nast, and Global Editorial Director, Vogue said: “At Vogue, we’ve been lucky enough over the decades to see many incredible runway shows, which have often told the story of fashion as much as the clothes themselves.”
“This Lightroom experience is a wonderful opportunity for a lot more people to experience first-hand the thrill of watching the history of fashion unfold right in front of them.”
You can experience Vogue’s ‘Inventing the Runway’ immersive show from 18 December to 10 January when it visits Aviva Studios this winter.
Find out more information and grab your tickets HERE.
The Manc -
21st October 2020 
