Government unable to explain why for seven weeks Oldham was allowed 10 fewer mourners at funerals

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon

For seven weeks Oldham was placed under enhanced restrictions that places elsewhere - and some with higher infection rates - did not have to follow.

The two key restrictions were that funerals that took place in Oldham were forced to have only 20 mourners, when the limit everywhere else was 30, and that Oldhamers were only allowed to use public transport for ‘essential’ journeys.

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon used a written parliamentary question to ask the Department of Health and Social Care to share data around the number of infections that were sourced to funeral attendance.

Nearly two months on, the government was unable to point to any evidence, instead a reply from the Minister insisted, “The information is not held in the format requested.”

Mr McMahon said: “I am so frustrated at this answer, it’s just another in a long line that aren’t good enough from this government.

"It took them two months to admit that there was no real basis for these local restrictions.

“These measures had real impacts on people’s lives, people in Oldham were prevented from going to the funerals of their loved ones as a result of this.

"To everyone in Oldham that was unable to attend a funeral because of these measures, I am deeply sorry.”

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.