MIKE HILL: Without the right cash aid so many will suffer unnecessarily

For now local leaders and MPs have managed to persuade the Government that the science suggests our R rates are stabilising and hospital capacity is not critical.

However, that could easily change if we don’t continue to follow the rules.

The heroic stance by Andy Burnham and the Greater Manchester leaders demonstrated that local opinion matters and that without the right financial protection from Government, Tier 3 lockdown will lead to unnecessary hardship among the low paid, unnecessary suffering, massive job losses and damage to mental health on a huge scale.

As Andy said: "This is not just about Greater Manchester, it’s about the rest of the country.”

so I sincerely hope that our own Mayor will step up to the plate if our own hour of need ever comes and fight for similar protections because, if anything, unlike the big city regions, our jobs and local economy are even more vulnerable.

I’m certainly up for the fight as are local council leaders.

COVID continues to disrupt our lives on a day to day basis and so I was saddened, but not surprised, to be written to by the council about them having to cancel the annual Remembrance Sunday events held in the town, on the Headland, in the villages and on the Saturday at Stranton Cemetery.

It truly is an awful thing to contemplate but this year there will be no marching or public gatherings to lay wreaths and honour those who have served and, in far too many cases, made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

While the public services may be cancelled, we are encouraging everybody to stand to remember the fallen on their doorsteps, side by side with their neighbours at 11 o’clock on Remembrance Sunday.

This year, more than most, what could be a more fitting tribute to our heroes?”