UKIP plan green belt protest at Mayoral debate
Date published: 10 January 2017
UKIP plan green belt protest at Mayoral debate
UKIP campaigners unhappy at plans to build on green belt land in Greater Manchester have organised a demonstration to coincide with a debate attended by candidates for May’s Greater Manchester Mayoral election, which is sponsored by major building companies.
The free debate at 5.30pm on 10 February at the Midland Hotel is backed by developers Place North West, Lovell Partnerships, Iceni Projects and PPS Group.
The hustings event will allow Labour’s Andy Burnham, Conservative’s Sean Anstee, and Liberal Democrat’s Jane Brophy to discuss their policies for topics including housing, transport, infrastructure and the controversial Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) draft.
However, UKIP Mayoral candidate Shneur Odze was not invited to attend, and the party has arranged a demonstration outside the Midland Hotel, also on 10 February at 5pm.
Mr Odze recently questioned the motives of the building companies involved in the event in a letter to Rochdale Online, saying: “I can only speculate that the reason I wasn’t invited is due to my opposition to the unwarranted building on our green belt land, and all too cosy deals between the developers and councils, against the public interest.”
In his letter, Mr Odze also promised to scrap the current GMSF plans and launch a full consultation with “genuine democratic accountability”, if he was elected mayor.
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/129/letters-to-the-editor/107350/letter-housing-developers-hosting-hustings
David Winder, UKIP’s Vice-Chairman of the Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton branch, is inviting anyone unhappy with the GMSF plans or the mayoral debate to their protest. He said: “The planned demonstration is for every single person concerned about the lack of transparency in this consultation, to meet and have their voices heard.
“These hustings are sponsored by major builders who could in all likelihood benefit from the GMSF. It’s not exactly a good portent when the three main party candidates are being ‘entertained’ by vested interests.”
Do you have a story for us?
Let us know by emailing news@rochdaleonline.co.uk
All contact will be treated in confidence.
Most Viewed News Stories
- 1First full Stalking Protection Order against a child in UK secured for family in Heywood
- 2Legal challenge against recently approved development masterplan to build 165,000 homes in Greater...
- 3Lottery Winners and Heather Small announced as headliners for Rochdale Feel Good Festival
- 4Roadworks, temporary local road closures and restrictions
- 5New energy facility with the ability to power 20,000 homes approved in Bamford
To contact the Rochdale Online news desk, email news@rochdaleonline.co.uk or visit our news submission page.
To get the latest news on your desktop or mobile, follow Rochdale Online on Twitter and Facebook.