Nicola Sturgeon defends Manchester travel ban
Nicola Sturgeon has defended the ban on non-essential travel with Manchester and Salford after an angry reaction from the area’s mayor.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham accused the Scottish government of “hypocrisy” over the ban.
Sturgeon said the decision was a public health measure, based on Covid levels. But opposition politicians say there has been a lack of consistency and a lack of consultation.
Sturgeon said she had a “duty” to keep Scotland as safe as possible.
“I have always got on well with Andy Burnham. If he wants a grown-up conversation he only has to pick up the phone,” she said.
“But if, as I suspect might be the case, this is more about getting a spat with me as part of a some positioning in a Labour leadership contest of the future, then I am not interested.”
Sturgeon said she was “confused” by Mr Burnham’s position.
“Back in May we imposed travel restrictions on Bolton for exactly the same reasons we are now doing it on Manchester,” she said.
“Andy Burnham is mayor of Bolton as well and he did not raise any of these issues then.”
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