North South divide fury as Government launches extra testing in London - while North East still waits for support a month after mass testing promise

Sunderland City Council and six others across the North East asked for enhanced support in September, when additional restrictions were brought in to bring down coronavirus cases.

In November, they signed up for mass testing offered by Health Secretary Matt Hancock – but only now have details been agreed to allow Sunderland to recruit staff to help run additional sites with some issues still up in the air.

On Thursday, December 10, Mr Hancock announced that due to the rising figures in the capital and neighbouring counties, secondary school children will be tested in a bid to halt its spread.

It is in Tier 2, while the North East remains in the toughest Tier 3, leaving restaurants, bars and pubs, as well as indoor attractions, closed to visitors.

Sunderland has previously been told it cannot have an extra testing site for Washington.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, has previously expressed frustration at a lack of answers from Central Government.

Now Coun Miller has hit out at the lack of government action in the North East as the South gets support, and branded the test and trace system a “car crash of epic proportions”.

He added: “It is very disappointing and it continues to show the Government is only really for London and the South East, not for anyone else and that is especially apparent for the North.

"We are desperate to get resources and the logistics in place, because we are in Tier 3, while London remains in Tier 2.”

He said while previous Governments had been willing to listen and respond, leaders “cannot get leverage” with those now in power, stating the decisions were being made by a “policy room in Number 10”.

He added: “We have now got the money for testing and the staff, but without Government support, local authorities cannot do it all.”

The Department for Health and Social Care has previously responded to Coun Miller’s concerns and said the council could draw on the NHS Test and Trace and Armed Forces to deliver the scheme.

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