Andy Burnham blasts Tories for 'playing poker with people's lives' in furious speech

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentChiara Bellosi, whose first work, “Ordinary Justice,” launched from Berlin’s Generation 14plus section in 2020, is back with “Swing Ride” (“Calcinculo”) about an overweight 15-year-old named Benedetta pining for attention in an Italian province where she falls in love with the skinny non-binary Amanda.A key difference between the two films is that while “Ordinary Justice,” which examined the lives of two families on opposite sides of a murder case, originated from a deeply researched screenplay that Bellosi wrote, “Swing Ride” — premiering in Panorama on Feb. 13 — stems from a prizewinning script proposed to her by Carlo Cresto Dina, her producer, who also discovered Alice Rohrwacher (“Happy as Lazzaro”) and is known for nurturing the cream of Italy’s new cinematic crop.   “It’s a very different process; it was the first time that I had to start from a world that didn’t germinate from me,” said Bellosi about working from the script penned by Maria Teresa Venditti and Luca De Bei that won Italy’s prestigious Solinas prize in 2018.It was like moving into a new house that she had to make her own, she said.“I worked with the writers; I wanted to make a few tweaks and we did that together,” she added, noting that initially “it was a leap into the void.” But directing from their screenplay actually ended up giving her “more freedom” than her previous pic because “the container is already there; but you can go pretty wild with the rest.”This freedom also made it more fun.

would be moved into the highest category of the new Local Covid Alert Level system, meaning which pubs don't serve 'substantial' meals will have to close. It followed negotiations between the government and local leaders including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham over a financial which eventually broke down.Mr Burnham said talks collapsed after the Government refused to meet his demand for £65million to support the people who worked in pubs, bars, bookmakers and other affected businesses.

Good Morning Britain viewers were left incredibly frustrated today as hosts Kate Garraway and Ranvir Singh continually interrupted MP Lisa Nandy and accused them of "not letting her speak".

7am: Andy Burnham describes ultimatum as 'provocative'Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham says it is “provocative” of the Government to tell local leaders they have until midday on Tuesday to agree to Tier 3 restrictions or face unilateral Government action.He tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The late-night ultimatum briefed to the media was a slightly provocative move … but I’m going to try to be positive and respond, and see if we can find a way forward.”8.30am: Accusations that the government trying to 'penny pinch'Mr Burnham accuses the government of “trying to penny pinch” over introducing Tier 3 coronavirus restrictionsSpeaking to Sky News, he says local leaders would continue to seek an agreement which protects communities and

A Tory youth group appeared to call for Boris Johnson to resign after his decision to plunge Greater Manchester into the highest tier of Covid lockdowns.

It was only at the beginning of October that bars, restaurants and many other business were allowed to reopen in Bolton after struggling through weeks of some of the harshest local lockdown rules in the country. Conservative Bolton Council leader, David Greenhalgh, has slammed the government, saying he feels the package being proposed by Greater Manchester was 'justified due to the disproportionate way Bolton businesses had been affected over the last months'.

hereHe continued: "This is no way to run the country in a national crisis. This is not right.

Should Greater Manchester be in Tier 3? Have your say in the comments belowMayor Andy Burnham accused the government of 'playing poker with people's lives' over the negotiations.He called on Parliament to intervene and agree a 'fair financial framework' for any region that needs to enter Tier 3 this winter.Mr Johnson said the government will continue 'talking' to Greater Manchester, but added: "Given the public health situation, I must now proceed with moving Greater Manchester, as I say, to the Very High alert level."Deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam said there have been dramatic increases in cases in Greater Manchester in recent weeks as he showed slides on the latest data."You can see across the sub-regions of Greater

Details of the government's "disgraceful" cash offer for Greater Manchester emerged on live TV in chaotic scenes.

Andy Burnham has accused the Government of “playing poker with people’s lives” after talks about a Tier 3 deal broke down.The Greater Manchester mayor said that after days of fraught negotiations between the region’s leaders and ministers, the Government “walked away”.Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to announce new restrictions for the area in Parliament later today after Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said discussions had failed to produce a deal because leaders were “unwilling to take action required”.But during a press conference in Manchester city centre this afternoon, Mr Burnham said the region had simply not been offered enough money to help the poorest people through the winter.“Is this a game of poker?” he asked.“Are they

Boris Johnson will use a 5pm press conference to impose tier-three lockdown measures on Greater Manchester after negotiations with mayor Andy Burnham broke up without a deal.

coronavirus restrictions. The Greater Manchester Mayor said health is 'not just about controlling the virus' and that if 'punishing lockdowns are imposed' over winter, people's mental health will suffer.

Good Morning Britain fans weren't impressed by the show's Tuesday interview with Andy Burnham, as they accused the presenters of "interrupting" the Manchester mayor. Andy, 50, recently made headlines when he publicly confronted the UK government over Covid restrictions in the North of England.

Mayor Andy Burnham has written to the Prime Minister to reiterate local leaders' 'willingness' to finding an agreement about tighter lockdown rules.Mr Burnham also expresses disappointment at what he calls the government’s ‘selective use of statistics’.In a joint statement with leader of Manchester City Council Sir Richard Leese, the region's mayor said Greater Manchester’s ICU occupancy rate is 'not abnormal for this time of year'.They claim it is 'comparable to the occupancy rate in October 2019'.The government is engaged in tense talks with local leaders about plans to bring the region into 'Tier 3' of the new Covid-Alert system.Boris Johnson is keen for Manchester's leaders to accept tighter restrictions due to high coronavirus rates -

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said 'nothing's changed' after it was confirmed 'extra resources' have been offered during Tier 3 negotiations with the government.A cabinet minister said he was hopeful of agreeing a deal 'today or tomorrow'.Housing and local government secretary Robert Jenrick this morning (Monday) said 'extra resources' have been offered during negotiations between the government and local leaders, which he said had continued over the weekend and had been 'productive'.In, response Mr Burnham said it was 'not just about the size of the cheque, but protecting low paid workers' as he called for a 'fair financial framework' for regions hit by Tier 3 restrictions.There has been a tense stand-off between Downing Street

all but banned care home visits, Mr Burnham said it was 'essential' that action was taken to help families unable to see their loved ones. However, he also said visits should happen on an 'exceptional basis', and did not clarify how such a system might work or whether it might be imminent.

We asked readers what they thought about the three tier lockdown, which has already been implemented in Liverpool and Lancashire.For now, Manchester is currently in tier 2 or 'high level' of restrictions, which means indoor mixing between households is banned, but households can meet outdoors as long as they follow the rule of six and social distancing is followed.However, pressures have mounted this week as the government and local MPs have been in numerous talks about moving the region into tier 3.Tier 3 or 'very high' level of restrictions will see parts of the hospitality industry close, as well as a ban on all households mixing - both indoors and outdoors.Mayor Andy Burnham and Conservative politicians in Greater Manchester oppose Tier

Andy Burnham has written to the Prime Minister and political leaders in Westminster urging them for a fair financial support deal for areas under the tightest lockdown restrictions. Mr Burnham told Boris Johnson, Sir Keir Starmer and other party leaders that “this is not just a Greater Manchester issue” calling for a consistent new support package for areas under Tier 3 restrictions.

Andy Burnham has accused the Government of trying to "level down" Northern communities as ministers prepared to impose tough new restrictions on the region.

Andy Burnham has accused Boris Johnson of exaggerating the severity of the Covid-19 situation in Greater Manchester.The Prime Minster said that the number of intensive care admissions with the virus were currently at around 40% of the April numbers in the region.Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Mr Burnham slammed the claims, stating that as of Sunday morning there were around 62 people in the regions ICUs with coronavirus - compared with around 200-220 at the previous peak.He added that there have been a total of four patients admitted to Greater Manchester hospitals with the disease on Saturday.He said: “It’s a serious situation but I don’t think it was the situation that was described by the Prime Minister on Friday evening.“I

Andy Burnham has hit back after a group of 20 Tory MPs begged him to back down in his fight with the government over Tier 3 restrictions.MPs from areas such as Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Herefordshire and Cambridgeshire sent the Mayor a letter saying they are 'deeply worried' about the prospect of another national lockdown.They therefore urged the Mayor to 'engage with the government's regional approach' which would offer some 'protection' to constituencies such as theirs where coronavirus rates are relatively low at the moment.Appearing on the Andrew Marr show this morning, Mr Burnham said the letter 'isn't going to cut much ice'.Mr Burnham said infection rates in the MPs' constituencies are higher"I'm not sure a sort of 'we're alright Jack'