Boris Johnson found himself amid a constitutional meltdown this week,

highlighted by an unedifying standoff with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham

over how to deal with coronavirus in his city.

I don't think it is right to ask people to go into a lockdown

to accept further changes within their lives without supporting them.

This is no way to run the country in a national crisis.

It isn't.

This is not right.

They should not be doing this, grinding people down,

trying to accept the least that they can get away with.

Welcome to Payne's politics, your essential insider guide to what's happening in British politics from the Financial Times, with me Sebastian Payne.

In this week's episode, I'll be looking at how the Prime Minister Boch negotiations with

northern leaders and whether he is taking the UK into a full-blown governing crisis over selective

COVID-19 restrictions. Political editor George Parker and Pittal columnist Robert Shrimsley will be discussing.

And later, we'll be examining yet another major economic stimulus package from Chancellor Ritchie

Sunach to protect jobs as more and more of the UK heads into Corona-induced restrictions.

Where does this leave the public finances?

Dissecting this is our economics editor Chris Jules for special guest Jemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government

Think Tank. George and Robert, pleasure to speak to you as always.

Morning.

Hi, said. Well, I'm back on the podcast, but I shouldn't really be, I should be somewhere driving around

Northern England doing book research, but unfortunately, due to these increasing restrictions

...