Government drops plans to relax lockdowns after mounting pressure from local leaders

The Government has abandoned plans to relax lockdown measures in Bolton and Trafford, after a backlash from local leaders.

Matt Hancock made the decision to reimpose restrictions in Greater Manchester hours after they were lifted on Wednesday because of a “significant change” in coronavirus infection rates.

The Health Secretary announced that a ban on gatherings in homes and gardens would remain in place in the areas “after reviewing the latest data”.

It comes after Andy Burnham, who has served as Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017, urged residents to ignore the lifting of local lockdown measures in the areas and to “continue to follow” the original guidance.

Before Mr Hancock reversed the decision, Mr Burnham warned that reopening the areas was “completely illogical” given soaring rates.

The U-turn means that residents in Bolton and Trafford will still not be allowed to socialise with other households in their own homes, gardens, pubs or restaurants.

Bolton has seen a 200 per cent spike in cases over the last few days and has the second worst infection rate in the country.

Last week it had 18.9 cases per 100,000 people, a figure which has now increased to 66.6. Infections have also been on the rise in Trafford, which now has 36.8 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people, up from last week’s figure of 17.8.

Council leaders in the two areas had put pressure on the Government to reinstate restrictions in the hours leading up to the about turn.

The Conservative leader of Bolton Council, Councillor David Greenhalgh, said it would have been “irresponsible” not to recognise the spike in cases in the area.

He said: “As a council, we have a duty to protect residents, and the health and wellbeing of the people of Bolton will always be our number one priority.

“We have always been led by the data in our response to the coronavirus. With this in mind, we had no choice but to alert the Government to the alarming sudden rise in cases."

One of Bolton’s three MPs, Graham Brady, said he was “deeply disappointed” that the “heavy handed” restrictions were back in place.

The influential Tory MP for Altrincham and Sale West said: “I think it’s deeply disappointing, especially for the many many constituents who have contacted me to say how delighted they were that they were going to be able to see their families again.

“These are very heavy-handed restrictions on enjoying normal family life, and my concern is that decisions are being taken based on positive cases as a result of increased testing instead of a rise in hospital admissions or deaths.

“You can’t keep these restrictions in place indefinitely, and I don’t think people will put up with it for very long.”

Meanwhile, Labour’s shadow minister Justin Madders suggested the Government had made the original decision to remove restrictions “to appease Tory backbenches”.

He added that decisions on local lockdowns “should be made on public health grounds”.

Mr Burnham compared the Government's weekly announcements on local coronavirus restrictions to "waiting for the white smoke out of the Vatican" and he called for more decision-making power to rest in the hands of local leaders.

He said: "The Government sitting in Whitehall imposing decisions on local communities has got to stop, we can't have that anymore. It's not working, it's confusing people, it's causing anger and resentment.

"In my view, it's local councils that need to be in the driving seat here, working then in consultation with the Government."

While the two areas remain under lockdown restrictions, social gatherings have recently resumed in Stockport, Burnley, Hyndburn and parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees, as planned.

It comes as the new research from the Health Service Journal (HSJ) found that coronavirus deaths in Greater Manchester now account for 40 per cent of the national total.

In the seven days to August 26, 17 people with a positive Covid-19 diagnosis died in Manchester hospitals, with 26 further deaths across England. The HSJ also found that Covid-19 fatalities in Greater Manchester had more than doubled since the middle of August.