'Greater Manchester is better than this': Andy Burnham vows 'rioters will not prevail' as he pledges 'all resources GMP need'

Andy Burnham ‘will personally ensure’ GMP gets ‘all the resources they need to maintain control’ following a weekend of rioting in Greater Manchester.

Cops clashed with thugs in Piccadilly Gardens on Saturday (August 3), with fighting breaking out following a demonstration under the banner ‘Enough is Enough’. A day later, missiles were thrown in Bolton during another protest, with the situation becoming even more tense following the arrival of a group of counter-demonstrators.

Later, leaders from both sides appeared to urge protesters not to throw objects, and the Enough is Enough demonstration was led away from the site of the stand-off under police escort. The violence led to 23 arrests and counting, with one man already fined for his part in the attacks.

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Now, Andy Burnham has sought to reassure communities that cops will be able to keep the peace over the coming days. He told a press conference on Monday (August 5): “I will personally ensure GMP will have all the resources they need to maintain control of our streets — and law and order in our communities. All residents in Greater Manchester can be assured we can do everything within our power to keep you safe.”

He added: “GMP have assured me they will pursue every legal avenue to prevent a repeat, such as criminal behaviour orders stopping known and repeat offenders from entering our towns and cities.”

He was joined by Manchester council leader Bev Craig, who said ‘there will be an increased police presence in our neighbourhoods’ in the drive to reassure the ‘hundreds of thousands of people in our city-region who will have gone out of their doors to work, looking over