PA.
Andy Burnham has hit out at the government’s climate response following last week’s budget – saying they have got their priorities completely wrong.
With world leaders gathered in Glasgow, the mayor of Manchester appeared on Sky News to make his thoughts on the UK’s current strategy clear.
He said: “Until we do something about fares on public transport… when it’s cheaper to catch a plane than it is to catch a train we’re not going to be in the right place.
“So the government should’ve brought down rail and bus fares rather than lowering air fares.”
It comes as Boris Johnson warned that richer countries’ record on climate change “is not exactly stellar” and they had already “flunked” parts of the Paris Agreement.
The UK prime minister said that words without action “are absolutely pointless” as he hosted a discussion with world leaders: including US president, Joe Biden, German chancellor, Angela Merkel and Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi.
Downing Street had to defend Johnson’s decision to return from the Cop26 climate change summit by plane.
The prime minister’s official spokesman confirmed Mr Johnson will fly back to London from Glasgow when the leaders’ conference section of the summit ends this week.
Pressed on why he could not go by train for a journey within the UK, the spokesman said it was important he was able to travel around the country while facing “significant time constraints”.
He said the private charter jet he is using for the flight uses a special mix of “sustainable” aviation fuel and is one of the most carbon-efficient aircraft of its size, while the emissions will also be offset.
Watch the Burnham interview in full below:
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