Candidates were also questioned about the Clean Air Zone too
Andy Burnham hit back at criticism of his record on policing at hustings hosted by the Manchester Evening News today . The Labour mayor who is hoping to be re-elected for a third term next month clashed with other candidates when quizzed about Greater Manchester Police .
It came after the Conservative and Reform UK candidates said that, if elected, they would take the cameras down. They criticised the amount of money spent on the stalled scheme - but Mr Burnham said it was the government that forced councils to introduce it. Conservative candidate Laura Evans said poor management was the real reason GMP was found to be failing. She accused the mayor of having 'offset' and 'abdicated' his role as police and crime commissioner, arguing he should 'lead from the front'.
Like Mrs Evans, Reform UK candidate Dan Barker also said that he would take responsibility for police and crime rather than delegate it to a deputy mayor, as Mr Burnham has. He also criticised delays to a report on the treatment of women and girls in police custody. Asked whether he is happy with the position GMP is at now, Mr Burnham told the hustings: "No, not happy, because it has to improve further. But what we do have now is named neighbourhood teams across Greater Manchester, a new neighbourhood policing structure, we have overall crime down. But I recognise that trust in the police needs to be higher than it currently is. I recognise that."
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