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Andy Burnham slams Boris Johnson for playing ‘dishonest politics’ over Clean Air Zone
The Prime Minister has previously called the scheme ‘unworkable’
Andy Burnham has slammed Boris Johnson for ‘playing dishonest politics’ when it comes to Greater Manchester’s proposed Clean Air Zone.
Since its announcement last year, the controversial plans to charge certain motorists to drive within Greater Manchester has been met with overwhelming backlash, with many saying it will leave small and independent businesses bankrupt.
Charges, which were supposed to come into force in May, would include £60 for HGVs, buses and coaches, £10 for vans and £7.50 for taxis and private hire cars.
But last month, the proposed Clean Air Zone was postponed until July, with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham requesting ‘more time to allow local authorities to review plans’.
Greater Manchester leaders are now working with the government to design a ‘substantially different’ scheme, with the Prime Minister himself previously calling the original scheme ‘completely unworkable’.
And at this weeks PMQs, Johnson again hit out at the plan, saying he believes Burnham had ‘done the wrong thing’.
Responding to Conservative Bury North MP James Daly, Johnson said: “As somebody who once had to deal with a badly thought out emission zone, it is totally wrong to impose measures thoughtlessly that damage business and don’t do very much to protect clean air.
“I think the Mayor of Manchester has done the wrong thing and I’m glad that we’re delaying.”
Burnham has since responded to Johnson’s comments, saying the prime minister was being ‘dishonest’.
He said, as per ITV News: “The Prime Minister has got to stop playing dishonest politics with the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone.
“Only three weeks ago, his Government imposed a new legal direction on our councils mandating action. Yet today he pretends in Parliament that those letters were never sent.
“We will not put up with this any longer. We can’t have Ministers saying things to us in private which are then flatly contradicted by the Prime Minister at the Despatch Box.
“Are the Government requiring Greater Manchester to have a Clean Air Zone or not? They must give a straight answer to that question and they must do it today.”