Labour’s candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Craig, launched her manifesto, setting out an ambitious plan to make life more affordable, build thousands of genuinely affordable homes, restore pride in town centres and ensure every community shares in Greater Manchester’s success.
Launching the manifesto, ‘Delivering a Greater Manchester for Us’, Bev Craig said her campaign is about making devolution work for ordinary people by putting more money in people’s pockets, creating opportunities for every young person and ensuring every borough benefits from Greater Manchester’s growth.
The manifesto sets out a fully-costed, deliverable plan built around key priorities, including freezing Bee Network fares, extending free bus travel to every 11 to 18-year-old, delivering 50,000 council and genuinely affordable homes, expanding neighbourhood policing, backing local high streets and creating a Youth Promise so no young person is left behind.
As Mayor, Bev will use every power available to put money into your pocket. That means freezing bus and Metrolink fares beyond December and extending free tickets to 16 to 18-year-olds, saving families and young people up to £20 a week. Labour will also lift the 09:30 restriction on concessionary travel for disabled and older people.
She will work to deliver opportunity for children and young people at every stage of their lives. Starting from birth, Labour will introduce baby boxes, establish a new Greater Manchester Family of Schools to bring schools together and improve results, and provide joined-up support through training and apprenticeships to help young people find the right career for them.
Bev will tackle the housing crisis by delivering 50,000 new council and genuinely affordable homes, giving priority to Greater Manchester residents for homes built with local funding. She will stand up for renters, including by establishing a commission on rent controls, and work to ensure people sleeping rough can access the housing and support they need.
Bev will bring pride to every town centre by expanding the Good Growth Fund so that every borough sees the gains and every community sees the benefit. A new £20 million Good Growth High Street Fund will support small businesses, bring empty units back into use and drive town centre regeneration.
Labour will make communities safer by delivering more neighbourhood police officers and creating a new unit focused on tackling antisocial behaviour. A new Neighbourhood Guarantee will bring together Greater Manchester Police, councils and housing providers to take faster action, alongside more CCTV and better lighting in areas where people feel least safe.
Speaking at the Launch, Bev Craig, said:
“I stand before you with a promise and a plan.
“A plan both radical and realistic – because I don’t believe in making promises you can’t deliver, and I have the track record to get it done.
“And a simple promise, I know what it’s like to struggle, to fight and I’ll fight for you – to make the lives better of every resident in every borough.
“We are a proud region, and now is our moment to build a Greater Manchester that fights for us, that works for us and creates a future.. for all of us. “
