BOLTON Council leader Cllr David Greenhalgh has hit out at Sir Keir Starmer after the Labour leader wrongly said he backed a "circuit breaker" coronavirus lockdown.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon, Starmer falsely said Cllr Greenhaulgh backed calls to introduce a short period where restrictions are tightened to control the spread of covid-19.

Cllr Greenhalgh said he refused to sign a joint letter in which other leaders in Greater Manchester supported the move.

Cllr Greenhalgh said: "Let me be very clear, I am not in support of a circuit break at this time.

"Every Greater Manchester leader knows that that is my position and that I refused to sign a document that stated this.

"The document then was amended to state 'a number of leaders' within GM had a circuit break as their preference."

Cllr Greenhalgh asked for an apology and a correction from the Labour leader.

In response, a Labour Party spokesman said: “The Conservative leader of Bolton Council signed a statement this morning which confirmed that ‘a number of Leaders in greater Manchester believe a national circuit break, with the required financial support, would be a preferable option.’

“If that is not the council leader’s position, it is for him to say so.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Greenhalgh opposes the region being moved from the Tier 2 restrictions ("high") to Tier 3 ("very high").