Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has described the government’s approach to green policy as “dangerous, defeatist, and divisive“.
The Labour mayor, answering audience questions at the Greater Manchester Green Summit, was asked to describe Westminster’s approach in three words.
“To have turned tackling climate change into a culture war, about being ‘woke’? It’s just depressing,” he added.
“There’s a fourth word for you! Depressing.”
The comments came before speculation intensified yet further that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would be cancelling the Manchester leg of HS2. On stage at the time when news outlets including Sky reported that the Manchester leg would indeed be scrapped, Burnham broke the news, to audible disappointment from the audience.
“I don’t know how you all feel about HS2”, said Burnham, “but surely to goodness at this moment in the country’s history we shouldn’t be turning away from public transit.”
Burnham stressed that Greater Manchester will continue to aim for net zero by 2038 – 12 years earlier than the UK as a whole. He emphasised the importance of consistent, stable climate targets to allow businesses to make the transition to carbon neutrality.
Burnham, who will seek re-election in May, pledged to construct 30,000 “truly affordable” net-zero homes by 2038, and to integrate local trains into his flagship Bee Network within the decade.
He also described Labour’s £28bn green investment plan as a potential “breakthrough moment” for the climate, adding: “Wrong turns are being taken.”
Feature image: Andy Burnham at an event in May 2023. Image by Tom Farish
