Greater Manchester won't need Clean Air Zone under Labour, Keir Starmer says

Greater Manchester would not need to introduce a Clean Air Zone under a Labour government, Sir Keir Starmer has said. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, the Labour leader ruled out forcing the charging scheme through.

It comes after local leaders put forward a plan to scrap all charges on motorists under the controversial scheme which has been under review for two and a half years. But the government will have the final say on the proposal.

Sir Keir has now told the M.E.N. that Clean Air Zone charges would not be 'mandated' under a Labour government, saying that it would be up to local elected representatives to decide. Local leaders had previously backed the scheme which would have charged vans, taxis, buses and lorries that don't meet emissions standards a daily penalty.

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However, they now argue that air pollution can be brought down below legal limits without charging any motorists. Instead, they have proposed funding upgrades to vehicles and rolling out more electric buses in pollution hotspots.

This week, Labour has pitched itself as 'the party on the side of drivers'. During an election campaign visit in Crewe, the M.E.N. asked Sir Keir whether he has ruled out a Clean Air Zone which charges motorists in Greater Manchester.

He said: "I think Andy Burnham is already putting forward his plans on this. What he's doing is showing that this can be done in a way that doesn't disproportionately impact on motorists. I think he's right about that.

"And so I think he's actually providing the answer that many people are looking for, which is, yes, we need to take action, but how can we do it in a way which doesn't disproportionately impact on motorists."

He added: "It's not going to be mandated. It's a matter for locally elected representatives. But Andy Burnham's doing a good job. He's come up with his plan which is good because it doesn't disproportionately impact on motorists."

Speaking at Crewe Alexandra FC's Mornflake Stadium after launching Labour's manifesto in Manchester on Thursday morning (June 13), Sir Keir promised to work with the Greater Manchester mayor and other local leaders, if he becomes Prime Minister. He said: "We will work with the mayors and the authorities, the elected representatives, with businesses and communities in Manchester to drive forward the change that Manchester desperately needs.

"I've already been having those discussions with Andy Burnham, the mayor. What the essential difference will be is, firstly, you'll have a Labour government working together with the mayors, with Andy Burnham in Manchester, rather than against him.

"You'll remember what it was like in Covid when Andy was having to fight the government for what Manchester needed. This will be a government that's on the side of everyone living in Manchester.

"The second thing fundamentally different to what the Tories did, we've got a plan for growth. We've already talked through with Andy what are the steps that we need to take.

"All we need now is the opportunity, I hope, to put that into practice and start that delivery for everybody living in Manchester."

Several members of Sir Keir's top team are running for re-election as MPs for Greater Manchester, including deputy leader Angela Rayner. Asked if this means the region will be prioritised over other areas, he said: "It means strong representation from Manchester, really good members of Parliament, I hope, sitting not on the opposition benches as they have done for 14 long years, but sitting on the government benches, delivering for Manchester.

"I look forward to that. I know that they'll be powerful advocates for each of their constituencies if they're elected into government as they should be and I look forward to that.

"They will be on the government benches so that is a fantastic pole position for any Manchester MP."

During the interview, Sir Keir was also asked about his past comments on the war in Gaza which caused anger in Greater Manchester and beyond - and has cost Labour some council seats. When Sir Keir was asked by LBC in October if Israel has the right to withhold water and power in Gaza, he responded: "Israel does have that right".

But speaking to the M.E.N. he insisted he was answering a different question - whether Israel has a right to defend itself. He said: "I was not suggesting that they had the right to cut off basic amenities, water, food, medical aid.

"They do not have that right. They've never had that right. I was a human rights lawyer for many, many years. I would never say that. And I do regret that a number of people saw those comments and thought that's what I was saying. I want to be really clear that it wasn't. And I'm equally clear that that right to self-defence exists, but the right to cut off water and basic amenities doesn't exist, has never existed and should never be done in any circumstances."

He added: "I'm not going to pretend this hasn't impact on people and I hope people will hear what I say about it, what I have said about it, because I do understand their concern, rightly, that Israel does not have that right and I'll be really clear about the fact that it doesn't have that right and that I understand the concerns of people who thought I was saying that Israel did have that right."