Angela Rayner has come out fighting following a turbulent 24 hours in which she was scapegoated for Labour’s disastrous Super Thursday results and sacked as chair of the party by Sir Keir Starmer, who had just said he took “full responsibility” for the results. However, his rush to be seen to act decisively, with speed […]
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The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has resigned after his force – the second biggest in England – was placed in special measures for failing to record 80,000 crimes. GMP was put into an “advanced phase” of monitoring by inspectors who found that officers had failed to record an average 220 crimes a […]
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Wales’ first minister has announced the country will go into a full lockdown on Friday for a 17-day “firebreak” to stem the rise in coronavirus cases. Mark Drakeford said the two-and-a-half weeks will provide a “short, sharp shock to turn back the clock, slow down the virus and give us more time” in order to […]
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Northern Tory MPs have hit out at a letter by 20 of their southern Conservative colleagues – pushing for Manchester to accept tighter Covid restrictions – as “ill advised”. Labour mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham also hit back at what he called an “I’m alright Jack” letter signed by a score of Tory MPs […]
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Business leaders, metro mayors and northern politicians have given a mixed reaction to Rishi Sunak’s announcement that the government will pay 67% of wages for staff in businesses forced to shut because of Covid-19 restrictions. The chancellor described the expanded jobs support scheme as a safety net to protect jobs over a difficult winter period […]
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Matt Hancock has announced new lockdown restrictions to be imposed in parts of northern England from midnight tonight (Thursday) due to a surge in coronavirus cases in the areas. The health secretary’s surprise statement came only hours after the prime minister had urged the public not to “delude” themselves into thinking “that we are […]
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The government is ploughing ahead with its plans to ease the lockdown in England despite growing concerns from its scientific advisers about the timing of the loosening of rules and restrictions. Up to a dozen experts from the SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) committee and its subcommittees have warned it is too early for […]
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The mayors of Manchester and Liverpool have hailed the government’s decision to renationalise the failing Northern rail franchise as a “victory for passengers” while calling for major investment to fix the north’s railways. HS2 is a major element of this outlay and backers of the high-speed rail project have been boosted with reports that Chancellor […]
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