Mayor and Chief Constable in joint visit to Westminster

The Mayor of Greater Manchester and Greater Manchester Police’s Chief Constable will make their first joint visit to Westminster today to brief MPs on security and policing issues following the Manchester Arena attack. 

The Mayor will outline an immediate bid that will be made to Government for more funding for Greater Manchester Police and other Greater Manchester public services.  The Mayor will update MPs that he has written to the Prime Minister and that Greater Manchester will be seeking support from MPs for funding for costs incurred as a result of the attack. 

Andy Burnham and Chief Constable Ian Hopkins will also provide MPs with an update on the two reviews currently underway following the attack.  The first into Manchester’s preparedness and response to the tragic attack and the second on the way extremism is tackled in the region. This review, led by Cllr Rishi Shori is looking into the work being undertaken to tackle and confront all forms of violent extremism to ensure residents across Greater Manchester are protected.

The meeting comes after the Chief Constable Ian Hopkins warned the number of Police Officers in Greater Manchester was at the ‘lower end of reasonable’. 

Ahead of the meeting, Andy Burnham said: “Greater Manchester Police has been stretched to its limit in recent weeks.  Many officers simply do not have anything left to give. 

“I have already written to the Prime Minister to say Greater Manchester needs more support.  There will now be an immediate bid made to Government for more funding to support our Police and other emergency services who are dealing with the significant costs incurred in their response to the Arena attack.

“Today is an opportunity for MPs to show their support for our Police and emergency services.  Many Ministers have rightly praised the response of every service involved but frankly they need more than praise, they need the resources to support the overstretched front line. 

“The Government’s DUP deal showed austerity is a political choice. The Prime Minister decided to end the cuts in one part of the UK, it's now time to end the cuts right across the UK. “

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “I am really pleased to have the opportunity, with the Mayor of Greater Manchester, to meet with many of Greater Manchester's MP's today.

“Policing in Greater Manchester is facing unprecedented and complex demand for our services. This means we have to make very difficult decisions as to what we can attend and what we continue to investigate, based on an assessment against threat, risk and harm. I and Greater Manchester Police are committed to continuing to reform and be as efficient as we can be. However there are difficult choices to be made and it will be good to have the chance to explain some of the challenges to our Members of Parliament.”