Dominic Raab accuses Andy Burnham of trying to 'hold Government over a barrel'

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has accused Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham of trying to “hold the Government over a barrel” by resisting tougher coronavirus restrictions. Mr Raab told BBC Breakfast: “Ultimately we need to take action – we can’t have a situation as we have seen in Manchester where Andy Burnham is effectively trying to hold the Government over a barrel over money and politics when actually we need to take action. “The cases there are 470 per 100,000 so it is very serious, and we must take action in the interest of the people of Manchester and the wider area, and if we take those targeted actions in those areas most affected… we get through this and we avoid the national level lockdown.” He urged Mr Burnham to “do the right thing by the people of Manchester”.