Calling Andy Burnham to account

Submitted by AWL on 2 October, 2019 - 12:01 Author: Nick Weightman

Thousands of young people gathered in Manchester’s St Peter’s Square on Friday 20 September. The protest was rather a warning to politicians who thought they could come along, mouth nice platitudes and pat young people on the head.

Lillia, a 10-year old climate activist (with her own blog), took Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to task when he said he was “doing his best” and made a big deal of a new free 16-18 year old bus pass and his opposition to fracking.

Lillia skewered his “lies, when you don’t count the airport in emission figures” [Manchester Airport is owned by GM local authorities]

“Lies, when we have 1,200 air-pollution related deaths in Manchester just last year – but they plan to build a huge car park right next door to a school in Ancoats” {Greater Manchester Pension Fund, run by the 10 Labour Councils is funding a “building boom” in the city].

Trade union activists joined the crowds of young people at lunchtime. Unite’s NW/389 (the Social Action Branch that organises in the voluntary sector) came with a new “Support A Green New Deal” banner.

Trade union speakers making the link between the climate crisis and poverty and the need for workers to transform industries to environmentally useful production got a really great response.

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