London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Police 'can't win' after breaking up Manchester birthday party

Police 'can't win' after breaking up Manchester birthday party

Police criticised for breaking up a child's 10th birthday party celebration say they "can't win" when enforcing enhanced coronavirus restrictions.

Greater Manchester Police's Chief Constable revealed the force attended 126 incidents over the weekend.

Officers were slammed by some for breaking up the child's party in Manchester and issuing a fine.

But Ian Hopkins said it was not a "jelly and ice cream" event and saw "mostly adults celebrating".

Police were "in a difficult position" with "lots of reports" of lockdown breaches, he said, and were trying to take a "very balanced and proportionate view".

He continued: "We can't win. If we don't deal with them, people are saying it isn't fair and when we do deal with it people are saying it is heavy-handed.

"Throughout this pandemic we have issued very few fixed penalty notices. And even this weekend we have only issued 19.

"We don't get to everything. We just have to assess which [gatherings] appear to be the biggest and most problematic."

Lockdown restrictions on social gatherings remain in Greater Manchester following a local spike in cases.

As well as illegal gatherings, officers visited 172 licensed premises over the weekend.


Greater Manchester is among the areas of northern England still subject to enhanced lockdown restrictions


Mr Hopkins said "pretty much all" bars were showing "really good measures to keep people safe" but that was not the case with house parties.

"It isn't safe. Social distancing is not taking place and that will lead to the virus spreading," he said.

He said the force had received help this weekend from police forces in Durham, Humberside, North Yorkshire, Cheshire and North Wales.

He said it meant an extra £100,000 a week had to found to cover the costs.

The child's 10th birthday party in Swinton was being attended by three families in a private garden after 20:00 BST on Friday.

Mr Hopkins said the force was not "making an example of them" but defended the fine issued to the homeowner, adding: "Those people knew they were breaching the regulations".

The party's host declined to comment when approached by the BBC.

Officers were also called to what turned out to be a party for a terminally ill child.

Mr Hopkins said officers used "discretion" and "had a quiet word" with the host before leaving.

Comments

Charles Kafka 5 year ago
No Kidding Jack..
this is why the founding fathers gave up on stupid over controlling laws like this.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×