Andy Burnham blasts Tory MPs' suggestion that Manchester 'should be grateful' for scaled-back rail plans

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Andy Burnham has clashed with MPs over the government's rail investment plans for the North, accusing the Tories of suggesting "Manchester should be grateful for what we are given".

The Mayor reacted angrily at the transport select committee after one Tory MP asked him if he "understood the meaning of the phrase do not bite the hand that feeds you" in relation to Mr Burnham's criticism of the scaled back integrated rail plan.

The £96bn plan has been widely criticised across the North as the Eastern leg of HS2 to Leeds was dropped and high speed lines connecting the region's major cities were scaled back, saving the Treasury £18bn. Read more: Northern rail plan is ‘Championship option when we needed the Premier League’ Tory MP Chris Loder said the amount being offered was still "phenomenal" and told Mr Burnham that there were "other parts of the country that are lucky to get thousands".

Fellow Tory MP Karl McCartney asked: "Do you understand the meaning of the phrase do not bite the hand that feeds you? "Do you think that your strategy might be slightly schizophrenic?