Mayor calls on Tories to wake up to homelessness

ANDY Burnham has called on the Conservatives to wake up to Greater Manchester’s homelessness crisis while in the city for their conference.

The region’s mayor told ITV’s Peston on Sunday that government had become so preoccupied with Brexit and a potential leadership race that it had taken its eye off the country’s domestic policy.

He called on the Tories to pay attention to the figures ‘huddled in doorways’ across the city instead of fighting among themselves.

“As Greater Manchester mayor, what I see is backbiting over Brexit, jostling for position,” he said.

“And all the while they are neglecting the domestic policy agenda.

“We see low morale in the NHS, the police force, we see issues around pay, we see record numbers of people sleeping rough on the streets of Greater Manchester.

“And people will see that this week, and I say let’s have some focus on those issues.

“Because they are getting much worse under their watch.”

After highlighting that he had himself been elected on a mandate to end rough sleeping, he was asked whether as mayor he actually has the powers to make the government act. “The mayor obviously has not got direct power, but I have the ability to bring people around the table on a common agenda,” he said.

“And I can tell you people in Greater Manchester do not like walking past the people huddled in doorways.

“They don’t avoid their eyes, they want something done.

“I hope the Tory Party this week sees what’s happening around us and actually gets more focus on those issues.”

Mr Burnham was also quizzed about his own relationship with his party’s leadership and whether he agreed with the sentiments laid out in Jeremy Corbyn’s speech to the Labour Party conference last week.

Asked whether he agreed that the centre ground had shifted to the left in recent times – as claimed by the Labour leader in his address to delegates – Mr Burnham pointed to a brand new tuition fee cap announced by the Tories on day one of conference, as well as tighter rules around private landlords.

“I think the evidence is in what Prime Minister Theresa May is having to do today,” he said.

“She is clearly responding to Jeremy’s agenda. Jeremy is clearly setting the agenda.”