Northern leaders call for more cash to cope with looming lockdowns

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham says that accepting Chancellor RishiSunak’s latest financial support package would be to “surrender” people tohardship in the run up to Christmas.

Speaking at a press conference withpolitical leaders from Liverpool, Sheffield and Tyneside on Saturday, MrBurnham said the measures risked “severe redundancies” and business closures.He added: “To accept the Chancellor’s package as outlined yesterday would beto surrender our residents to hardship in the run up to Christmas and ourbusinesses to potential failure or collapse.

“We are not prepared to do that.“It will level down the north of England and widen the north-south divide.”