Watch and Learn - Housing secretary suggests Burnham is 'taking potshots'

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up to the state. We can now hear from

up to the state We can now hear from

the government. We're joined by the new

the government We're joined by the new

Secretary of State for Housing,

Secretary of State for Housing

Communities, and Local Government, Steve

Communities and Local Government Steve

Reid. Uh Steve Reid, thank you very much

Reid Uh Steve Reid thank you very much

for being with us, and good morning to

for being with us and good morning to

you. I'm not sure if you heard um that

you I'm not sure if you heard um that

reporting there from Rob, but calls by a

reporting there from Rob but calls by a

human UN human rights panel for Israel.

human UN human rights panel for Israel

to be banned from international

football. What's your thought on that?

football What's your thought on that

Well, I I mean, I'm I'm not convinced

Well I I mean I'm I'm not convinced

that's the right way to go about things.

that's the right way to go about things

I'm not sure we should politicize sport

in uh in quite that way. There are

in uh in quite that way There are

concerns that people have quite rightly

about the situation in Gaza and the

government just a few days ago took a

step forwards in recognizing the state

of Palestine in concert with a number of

our allies around around the world,

our allies around around the world

Australia, Canada, um Spain, um and

Australia Canada um Spain um and

others.

others

So you don't think it's the right way to

go? Okay, thank you for that. Now you're

go Okay thank you for that Now you're

in Telford launching something for your

department where you say communities

will be able to seize control over the

high street and perhaps ban um some

premises from being on the high streets,

premises from being on the high streets

gambling shops, vape shops. So what will

gambling shops vape shops So what will

be in the place of those uh businesses

if communities were to ban them? Well,

if communities were to ban them Well

the the situation is you've got

communities up and down this country

that feel absolutely powerless as

they've watched for years now their high

streets and their town centers fall into

decline. Uh and people want to feel

decline Uh and people want to feel

proud uh of their local town center and

when they don't uh it says something to

them about themselves as well. So the

them about themselves as well So the

many approaches that have been taken

from Westminster to fix this problem

have all failed. And I think that's

have all failed And I think that's

because Westminster cannot know the

situation on the on the ground in the

same way that people that live in those

areas do. So what we're doing today is

areas do So what we're doing today is

opening up power to those communities so

that they can have the power to um close

down to stop the proliferation um of

vape shops, of betting shops, of fake or

vape shops of betting shops of fake or

dodgy barbers that are ruining so many

high streets. give people the power they

high streets give people the power they

need to take over empty and boarded up

shops so we can get away from this

situation where you've got closed down

pubs, closed down shops, metal grills

pubs closed down shops metal grills

covered in graffiti. That isn't the

covered in graffiti That isn't the

story of our high streets. That's a

story of our high streets That's a

story of decline. We give people back

story of decline We give people back

the powers they need. They can take that

the powers they need They can take that

pride in their communities again.

pride in their communities again

Sorry, I don't think you told me what’s

Sorry I don't think you told me what’s

going to replace these places if they

are banned. Then what businesses will be

are banned Then what businesses will be

put in place? The reason I tell you is

put in place The reason I tell you is

because it's not going to be me as the

secretary of state in um I'm I'm in

Telford right now, but in White Hall

Telford right now but in White Hall

telling people what's going to happen on

their high street. They're going to

their high street They're going to

decide for themselves and they can use

places for all sorts of things. You

places for all sorts of things You

know, I I've been in politics for quite

know I I've been in politics for quite

a while now. The number of

a while now The number of

people that come up to me and say to me,

people that come up to me and say to me

"This closed down venue could be a

This closed down venue could be a

wonderful youth facility or youth

center." Or, "If only we had the space

center Or If only we had the space

for voluntary activities to happen. It

for voluntary activities to happen It

would bring the community together at a

time when there's less retail so people

don't have the same reasons to come up

to the high street." It's really

to the high street It's really

important that it is not politicians

that dictate this from Whiteall. It has

that dictate this from Whiteall It has

to be local people taking their own

decisions about their area because it is

local people who understand that area

the best. We have to turn politics on

the best We have to turn politics on

its head. I have to let go of my power,

its head I have to let go of my power

but I have to give communities the power

that they need to make the change they

want to see. But we will give people

want to see But we will give people

what they need to become proud of their

areas again.

areas again

Okay. We're talking about local areas

Okay We're talking about local areas

wanting something. Is it true that the

wanting something Is it true that the

government had delayed Northern

Powerhouse Rail?

Powerhouse Rail

Well, no. The government said, I think

Well no The government said I think

Rachel said in the summer that we

would take the time necessary uh to get

this right. We're not going to repeat

this right We're not going to repeat

the mistakes the previous government

made with HS2 where millions of pounds

were wasted on nonsense like bat

tunnels. The thing got cut off halfway

tunnels The thing got cut off halfway

through. We're absolutely going to get

through We're absolutely going to get

this right. We will bring forward those

this right We will bring forward those

proposals when they're ready. Um in the

proposals when they're ready Um in the

meantime, we've already announced

meantime we've already announced

funding including three half billion

pounds to connect um cities across the

north of England as part of that

Northern Powerhouse Rail network. So

Northern Powerhouse Rail network So

that will come and it'll come because it

is fundamental to regenerating the north

of England and we have to tackle

regional economic inequalities if we’re

going to give people in every single

part of this country the life chances

that they deserve. Yeah, Secretary

that they deserve Yeah Secretary

State, you'll know that it ring will

State you'll know that it ring will

ring in people's ear that uh at a

conservative conference, the

conservative conference the

cancellation of the second phase of HS2

was announced by K Star and it seems

just four days ahead of your conference,

just four days ahead of your conference

you’re also doing something that people

in the north will not be uh happy about

by Rishi, of course, the Conservative

by Rishi of course the Conservative

Prime.

Prime

They will be happy because they’re going

to get Northern Powerhouse Rail, but

to get Northern Powerhouse Rail but

we'll do it in the right way. We're not

we'll do it in the right way We're not

going to waste millions of pounds in the

way that the Conservatives did. It was

way that the Conservatives did It was

scandalous the waste of money. Uh and

scandalous the waste of money Uh and

HS2 never actually happened. We're going

HS2 never actually happened We're going

to make sure that Northern Powerhouse

Rail does happen, but we will take our

Rail does happen but we will take our

time to get it right, but we'll bring

time to get it right but we'll bring

forward the announcements in due course.

forward the announcements in due course

In the meantime, as I said, billions of

In the meantime as I said billions of

pounds have already been announced to

link uh the cities of the north

together.

together

I'm glad you mentioned Cities of the

North because of course the mayor of

Greater Manchester is having quite a lot

of uh ink uh spilt writing about him. He

of uh ink uh spilt writing about him He

has said in an interview with the New

Statesman, "The challenge we've got in

Statesman The challenge we've got in

front of us cannot be met by a very

factional and divisive running of this

party." That's Mayor Andy Bernham. Do

party That's Mayor Andy Bernham Do

you agree with that with that analysis

of your party?

of your party

Well, he’s entitled to his view,

Well he’s entitled to his view

but we've heard these kind of comments

before, haven't we? When Labour was in

before haven't we When Labour was in

opposition. Uh there used to be people

opposition Uh there used to be people

that would take pot shots at um at K

Star. He then picked this party up off

Star He then picked this party up off

the floor and led us to a

record-breaking general election

victory. We are now in power. And what

victory We are now in power And what

I'm doing on your show today is standing

here talking to you about our plan for

change and the difference we're going to

make for communities um up and down this

country. And that is what we need to

country And that is what we need to

focus on. Andy's doing a great job uh as

focus on Andy's doing a great job uh as

mayor of Manchester. I've long admired

mayor of Manchester I've long admired

the work that he is doing there. We have

the work that he is doing there We have

other mayors that are doing great work,

other mayors that are doing great work

but we all will pull together to deliver

the change this country wants to see.

the change this country wants to see

And I have to say I'm very proud of the

way that Karma is uh leading this

government. I couldn't do the work that

government I couldn't do the work that

I'm doing today if we weren't able to

operate and work in a very collegiate

way. And you can see the change that's

way And you can see the change that's

coming in. We've got wages rising faster

coming in We've got wages rising faster

than prices in this country for the

first time in a decade. We've got 5

first time in a decade We've got 5

million more NHS appointments cutting

waiting lists. 35,000 people who have

waiting lists 35000 people who have

arrived in this country um illegally

have been removed because they've not

got no right to be here. Uh and today

got no right to be here Uh and today

and as we move through Labor Conference,

and as we move through Labor Conference

you're going to get more announcements

about how the change people voted for

last year is going to be made real.

last year is going to be made real

Yeah. So, look, do you describe what

Yeah So look do you describe what

he's saying as as taking pot shots? I

he's saying as as taking pot shots I

mean, there's lots to be learned from

mean there's lots to be learned from

what he's calling the Manchester model,

what he's calling the Manchester model

isn't there?

isn't there

Of course there is, and there's a lot to

Of course there is and there's a lot to

be learned from what Sadi Khan uh is

doing as in London and what Tracy Brin

is doing in Yorkshire. One of the great

is doing in Yorkshire One of the great

things about devolution is it gives

areas and their elected representatives

the chance to do something different.

the chance to do something different

Then nationally we can we can learn from

that. You know I'm a devolver. I believe

that You know I'm a devolver I believe

in getting power out from the center to

mayors to town halls but also directly

to communities. So the points we were

to communities So the points we were

making earlier on about how do you give

people in their own area directly power

to improve their their their their town

centers, their high streets, that's one

centers their high streets that's one

of the things we're going to do. We're

of the things we're going to do We're

going to open up power to the people

that can best wield it in the interests

of people living in a particular

locality.

locality

Okay, look, I need to talk to you about

Okay look I need to talk to you about

this. Morgan Mcwidi, the chief of chief

this Morgan Mcwidi the chief of chief

of staff. Now, you know him. You worked

of staff Now you know him You worked

with them at Lambeath Council. You know,

with them at Lambeath Council You know

the Conservatives are uh asking

questions about donations. Now, you're

questions about donations Now you're

involved. Oh, well, I can see your name,

involved Oh well I can see your name

Steve, but uh I lost your face for a

Steve but uh I lost your face for a

minute. Oh, you can still hear me?

minute Oh you can still hear me

Running out of power on.

Running out of power on

All right. Well, look, let's let's keep

All right Well look let's let's keep

talking cuz I'm I'm halfway through my

question and I'm sure you've uh you've

heard me. Um, so look, Morgan Mcweeny,

heard me Um so look Morgan Mcweeny

you worked with them at Lambeath

Council. You were involved in Labor

Council You were involved in Labor

Together. Now, the Conservatives have

Together Now the Conservatives have

published this email talking about

£740,000 worth of donations that were

740000 worth of donations that were

reported late to the Electoral

Commission. Why were they reported late,

Commission Why were they reported late

Secretary of State?

Secretary of State

Well, Labour Together reported that

Well Labour Together reported that

itself years ago to the Electoral

Commission. Um, they investigated it and

Commission Um they investigated it and

the matters closed. The tries are just

the matters closed The tries are just

breaking over old stories to distract

from the fact that they've got many many

problems um of their own as a political

party and because they'd like to throw

moderi mweeny because he's one of our

country's most effective political

strategists. It's as simple as that.

strategists It's as simple as that

It's so it's simply that the electoral

commission will report and there'll be

nothing to see here. That's your that's

nothing to see here That's your that's

your take on it. Is it?

your take on it Is it

The electoral commission have said

themselves this week that the matter was

investigated years ago and is now

closed. That's the electoral commission

closed That's the electoral commission

saying that, not me.

saying that not me

Okay. Uh, Secretary of State for

Okay Uh Secretary of State for

Housing, Communities, and Local

Housing Communities and Local

Government.

Government

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