An Andrew Marr interview with Robert Jenrick has resurfaced today with the communities secretary caught in a furious funding battle with local leaders.
Talks with local authorities collapsed last night after the government refused to meet demands for £65 million to safeguard people in Greater Manchester amidst new strict lockdown rules.
Mayor Andy Burnham said £65 million was the “bare minimum to prevent a winter of real hardship” over a “punishing” winter, but the government was only prepared to part with £60 million.
Standing outside the Bridgewater Hall as he held a press conference, Mr Burnham found out the lockdown would come into force on Friday, and Sir Richard Leese said the region would get ‘£20 million only’.
The sum was later clarified to be £22 million.
But a video of Jenrick on the Andrew Marr Show has resurfaced since, seemingly demonstrating how funding is really given out in parliament.
After it was revealed the MP for Newark had secured £25 million for his constituency as part of a £3.6 billion hardship fund he set up, the broadcaster questioned:
“Which minister decided that your constituency would get money?”, to which he responded, “Jake Berry”.
Berry, who is the MP for Rossendale and Darwen, also secured money from the fund. Asked who decided that, Jenrick was forced to admit that he did, thus unveiling how funding decisions are really made:
