The north’s economy will have to be ‘built back better’ after the coronavirus crisis has eased, Andy Burnham has warned - including upping the ‘shameful’ wages of social care staff and capitalising on a drop in air pollution.
At a joint press conference with the mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, Mr Burnham said ministers must start work with local leaders on the recovery now.
He said ‘levelling up’ seemed to have ‘quickly gone off the agenda’ in the way they had dealt with the crisis so far, with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan the only city leader allowed onto government’s emergency Cobra meetings.
A 'national recovery council' - as recommended by trade unions - ought to be stood up immediately, he said, building on the ‘current