Bolton and trafford lockdown: matt hancock u-turns as he refuses to...

LOCKDOWN: BURNHAM GIVES ADVICE TO BOLTON AND TRAFFORD RESIDENTS At the end of July, health secretary Matt Hancock introduced new restriction measures for the Greater Manchester area after

cases of the deadly pandemic began to soar. And now despite the areas given the go ahead to relax restrictions, the health secretary has backtracked on the measures. The Health Secretary

said: “Following a significant change in the level of infection rates over the last few days, a decision has been taken that Bolton and Trafford will now remain under existing restrictions.

“This decision has been made in collaboration with local leaders after reviewing the latest data. "We continually monitor outbreaks across the country, and have seen infection rates

increase more than three times in Bolton in under a week, and double in Trafford since the last review. “We have always been clear we will take swift and decisive action where needed to

contain outbreaks. Bolton and Trafford will remain in local lockdown (Image: Getty/Flickr) Coronavirus cases are on the rise in Manchester (Image: PA) "We can bring the rates down if we

continue to work together and I urge everyone to continue to play their part by following the rules – get tested if you have symptoms, self-isolate and practice social distancing.” Chris

Green, MP for Bolton West & Atherton, tweeted: Despite what I and local press understood, Bolton is being kept in local lockdown. "I'm disappointed at how this important

decision has been communicated because of the impact this will have on people's lives." Now, hundreds of thousands of people across Greater Manchester have been forced to go back

into lockdown restrictions. READ MORE: MANCHESTER LOCKDOWN: ANDY BURNHAM URGES RESIDENTS TO IGNORE PM Cases in Bolton have soared over the last month (Image: PA) RELATED ARTICLES Bolton,

Trafford and Stockport were released from lockdown restrictions that were imposed on all 10 boroughs in the region at the end of July from midnight on Wednesday. The restrictions are still

in place in five boroughs - Manchester, Salford, Rochdale, Tameside and Bury - with tougher rules in Oldham. Bolton has seen a 200 per cent spike in cases over the last few days that has

seen it spike into a 'red alert' level.  It now has the worst infection rate in Greater Manchester and the second-worst in the whole of the country, with its rate at 59.1 cases per

100,000 people. DON'T MISS  LABOUR'S ANDY BURNHAM RIDICULED FOLLOWING CONTROVERSIAL CHARITY MOVE [COMMENT]  HANCOCK HINTS AT OLDHAM LOCKDOWN AS COUNCIL BEGS HIM TO AVOID SHUT 

[REVEAL]  NEW TOWN BECOMES WORST-HIT IN ENGLAND AS 3 MORE PLACES ADDED TO LIST [INSIGHT] UK coronavirus cases mapped (Image: Express) Yesterday, council leaders in the borough wrote to the

government asking for the lockdown to be extended. It is similar in Trafford, where rates have spiked to 37.1 cases per 100,000 people. MP Sir Robert Syms, former Tory whip, tweeted: “The

problem is with the Governments communication strategy - we would like to have one!” Today, Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham told BBC Radio 4's Today show why he did not

agree with the Government's latest move. Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham (Image: Getty) When asked what his advice for people in Bolton and Trafford was, Mr Burnham

said: "To continue to follow the guidance, which is not to have social gatherings in the home. "We find ourselves in a completely unsustainable position this morning, that's

the politest way I can put it. "Overnight we've had restrictions released from two boroughs where we've got a rising number of cases. In one case, in the red zone.

"Neighbouring boroughs are still under restrictions with much lower numbers of cases." Piers Morgan lashed out at government decision (Image: Getty) Good Morning Britain co-host

Piers Morgan has also lashed out at Mr Hancock's decision. He tweeted: "Govt performs yet another U-turn & keeps Bolton and Trafford in lockdown. "The cack-handed way

they're playing with people's lives & livelihoods like this is utterly shameful." In August, Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave local authorities in England new powers to

tackle coronavirus outbreaks. Boris Johnson gave local authorities new powers (Image: Getty) Speaking from Downing Street, Mr Johnson said: “At the start of the pandemic, we knew far less

about the spread of the virus and we had to take blanket national measures. “National lockdown was undoubtedly the right thing to do and has saved many thousands of lives. “Now, however, we

know more about the virus, we understand the epidemiology better and our intelligence about where it is spreading is vastly improved. “That means we can control it through targeted local

action instead.”