Andy Burnham: "Government will need to up its game in the Spending Review"

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, has responded to this afternoon's Budget announcement from Government:

“Today’s Budget has made a start on levelling up the North but in truth it is only a start. Ministers have made a lot of promises to people here over recent months but what has been announced today does not live up to the rhetoric. The Government will need to up its game in the Spending Review later this year if, as the Chancellor might say, they are really going to get the Northern Powerhouse done.

“One of the most welcome announcements was the Chancellor signalling the end of the cladding nightmare for thousands of residents across the country. But the devil will be in the detail. By limiting the funding to buildings over 18 metres, he is excluding multi-story buildings like the Cube in Bolton which caught fire last year. As welcome as this announcement is, the Chancellor may well need to go further so all residents can sleep safe in their beds.

“The Prime Minister is fond of saying, rightly, that the people of the North lent him their votes. He and his Government will need to do much more in the Autumn than today’s modest measures if he is to repay those loans.”

Article Published: 11/03/2020 15:10 PM