Andy Burnham hits out at Scotland's Manchester travel ban

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

This week, the Scottish First Minister announced a ban on people from Salford and Manchester visiting Scotland due to the rising cases of the Delta variant in the region. The Labour mayor claimed the ban was an “infringement of civil liberties”.

Yesterday, Mr Burnham and Ms Sturgeon spoke to discuss the travel ban with the Greater Manchester Mayor not ruling out legal action against the First Minister.

However, Mr Burnham has now lashed out as details of the talks were leaked.

Mr Burnham tweeted: “And there was me thinking they were confidential…”

A source close to the First Minister accused the Manchester Mayor of giving an “incoherent and absurd” explanation of why advice urges residents to “minimise travel”.

According to the Telegraph, a spokesperson for Mr Burnham claimed Ms Sturgeon had dismissed the “financial impact the ban has had on ordinary people” who have to cancel holidays.

Ms Sturgeon also admitted she should have informed Mr Burnham about the ban in advance and said the Scottish Government would provide more details about why they imposed the travel ban.

The feud between the two politicians spiralled this week after Mr Burnham confirmed he had held talks with a lawyer and suggested the policy could put people from the north of England off holidaying in Scotland.

He said: “If there’s hundreds of people out of pocket you know I will represent them in the best way.

“If there is a legal redress route for them, then that should be considered.”

Ms Sturgeon hit back saying it was her “duty to keep Scotland as safe as possible”.

She previously accused Mr Burnham of trying to score political points with his outburst.

She told the BBC: “I’ve always got on well with Andy Burnham and if he wants to have a grown-up conversation he only has to pick up the phone but if, as I suspect might be the case, this is more about generating a spat with me as part of some positioning in a Labour leadership contest in future, then I’m not interested.”

DON’T MISS 
Sturgeon humiliation as Scottish cases SOAR amid Euro 2020 games [INSIGHT] 
Scotland travel: Why has Nicola Sturgeon banned travel to Manchester? [REVEAL] 
Nicola Sturgeon’s travel ban ‘impossible’ to enforce, police say [COMMENT]

Her comments came after the mayor said the Scottish First Minister was “discourteous” and “insulting” to announce the new rules on Friday without any prior warning.

He said: “When the UK Government have made changes affecting Greater Manchester, they called us in advance to discuss.

“The Scottish Government gave us no such courtesy. Sorry, but it’s straightforward arrogance to say Scottish ministers shouldn’t deign to speak to English mayors.”

He added: “This seems unnecessary to me and it would have been nice if Nicola Sturgeon had contacted us beforehand to discuss it.

“Maybe the Scottish Government should try living by the same standards it frequently accuses the UK Government of lacking?”

Following the ban, EasyJet have confirmed they will not go ahead with new routes connecting Manchester to Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Posting on Twitter, Mr Burnham said the travel ban is having a “real impact on Greater Manchester”.

He wrote: “This ban is having a real impact on Greater Manchester.

“Our concerns are genuine and we ask the Scottish Government to engage with them rather than simply dismissing them, as they have done so far.”

The travel ban between Manchester and Scotland came just days after hundreds of Scots flocked to London to watch the England and Scotland Euros 2021 clash.

Many people have since claimed Ms Sturgeon should be more focussed on the rising cases across Scotland.

Source: Read Full Article