Andy Burnham has hit back at Nicola Sturgeon for suggesting he was confecting a row over the travel ban ahead of a Labour leadership challenge (see 11:20am).
The Mayor of Greater Manchester said: “I find that insulting, not for me, but for people here who are directly affected by what she announced. It’s not just the direct impact on Greater Manchester, it’s on our reputation as a city.”
He added: “I don’t think we’ve been treated with the respect we deserve and I’m talking mainly there of the people of Greater Manchester, not myself. It’s had a real impact. It’s had an impact with people with holiday cottages booked, people who are having to go for work reasons.
“So to suggest, as the First Minister has done today, ‘Oh, this is all about politics and posturing’, well say that to them, say that to those people. Why is Bolton under a travel ban today, when it has a case rate that is quite a lot lower than Dundee? How is that fair?”
