Tier pressure: Manchester makes front pages as highest restrictions imposed

Yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he will impose the highest Tier 3 local lockdown across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester after negotiations with local leaders broke down.

The new rules, which come into effect from midnight on Thursday 22nd, mean all pubs and bars not serving food must shut across the region from Friday, as well as no mixing of households in indoor settings and also in most outdoor settings.

Today, unsurprisingly, the widening north-south political divide dominates the front pages of the papers, with headlines including ‘Tier and loathing’ and ‘Northern uproar’.

Guardian front page, Wednesday 21 October 2020: Chaos and fury as Johnson forces curbs on Manchester pic.twitter.com/Eoy252uPdR

— The Guardian (@guardian) October 20, 2020

The Guardian says that Mr Burnham accused the prime minister of playing a “game of poker with people’s lives” after imposing the highest level of restrictions on the city and surrounding area, with a headline about the “chaos and fury”.

The same “playing poker” phrase is used on the front page of the Daily Mirror, which runs with: “PM’s Playing Poker With the Pandemic: Mayor slams Boris as virus clampdown forced on region”.

Tomorrow's #frontpage – PM’s Playing Poker With the Pandemic: Mayor slams Boris as virus clampdown forced on region#TomorrowsPapersToday

Read more: https://t.co/gHQ3iDQG6G pic.twitter.com/eQ5rdrQZV0

— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) October 20, 2020

And the same phrase is picked up in The Independent, too.

Wednesday’s Independent: Johnson imposes Tier 3 lockdown on Manchester #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/WMwRf6emnA

— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) October 20, 2020

The Times has the headline “Manchester forced into highest level of lockdown”, saying that No 10 is “at war” with Burnham over compensation.

Wednesday’s Times: Manchester forced into highest level of lockdown #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/MkjqnJPV6R

— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) October 20, 2020

And the Metro has our favourite pun of the day, with “Tier and loathing” as its headline.

Wednesday's front page:
TIER AND
LOATHING#tomorrowspaperstoday #BBCPapers #skypapers pic.twitter.com/bxLbqUbmOn

— Metro US (@MetroUS) October 20, 2020

The i says that the PM is “facing the wrath of Manchester”.

Wednesday’s i: PM facing wrath of Manchester #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/raRQvCtDln

— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) October 20, 2020

The Telegraph, meanwhile, has a broader warning that other cities in the north face similar curbs if infections continue to spiral, with the headline: “Northern cities told they could be next”.

The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:

'Northern cities told they could be next'#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/sgLYxn7x2C

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 20, 2020

And The Yorkshire Post picks up on the mood of rebellion up here in the north with the headline: “Northern uproar as strictest virus restrictions are imposed” as Yorkshire still awaits a decision.

Wednesday’s Yorkshire Post: Northern uproar as strictest virus restrictions are imposed #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/8JBipKfTMA

— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) October 20, 2020

The new Tier 3 rules will come into effect in Greater Manchester from 00.01 on Friday 23rd October.