News
Andy Burnham admits he would consider running for Labour leader ‘one day’
Andy Burnham has admitted that he wouldn’t rule out running for leader of the Labour party “one day” in the future.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester appeared on Sky News this morning to discuss his future career ambitions with presenter Kay Burley in an interview that also touched on his calls to bring utility companies back into public ownership to help tackle the cost of living crisis, his criticism of the two Conservative party leadership contenders for “promising more Thatcherism” if they become Prime Minister, and more.
Mr Burnham said he would consider another attempt at becoming Labour leader and Prime Minister “one day” if it was “something people would support”, but added that this wouldn’t be any time soon and stuck by his commitment to serve his second term as Greater Manchester mayor.
“Not now because we’ve got a leader of the Labour Party who is providing leadership in the cost of living crisis,” he explained.
“Just being honest, in the future? You know, I’ve said I will serve my full second term as mayor of Manchester, [but] if at some point way beyond the point where we are… that was something that was a possibility, I would consider it.
“But I’m just focussed on what I’m doing right now.”
Mr Burnham’s interview with Sky News comes after he recently held a number of talks with bosses at Avanti West Coast over the rail provider’s slashing of services to and from London, and after the dates for the introduction of Greater Manchester’s £2 bus ticket price cap were announced.
Read more: Andy Burnham asks to ‘suspend’ first class trains to make more affordable seats available
Away from “being honest” about his future, Mr Burnham also called on the government to make urgent changes to the way utility companies provide “essential services” to the public as the cost of living crisis continues to make its impact felt nationwide, and admitted that he feels there is “certainly a case” for more “public control and more public ownership of essential utilities”.
He then praised Keir Starmer’s cost of living policy of freezing energy bills as “a good start”.
Mr Burnham said the cost of living crisis is on “the scale of which we’ve not faced before,” and added that it will “require politicians to do different things, to intervene in markets, to protect people.”
The Mayor of Greater Manchester said the public is “genuinely scared about what’s coming” and “looking for people to speak up for them”.
Read more: Victory for Andy Burnham’s bus reform as date for £2 price cap announced
He then appealed to MPs to work with one another to find a solution.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre
Daisy Jackson
Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.
A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.
Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.
It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.
Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.
Read more
Featured image: The Manc Group
News
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
Read more:
“Help us be a lifeline to organisations on the frontline,” Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity urged in it’s public appeal for donations.
You can help make sure ‘A Bed Every Night’ is a reality for all by donating here.
Featured Image – EthelRedThePetrolHead (via Flickr)
