UKIP plan green belt protest at Mayoral debate

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.”