'Make safe housing a basic human right' - GM Mayor Andy Burnham

One year on from the start of his role as Greater Manchester's first ever elected leader, GM Mayor Andy Burnham has called on the government to make access to safe housing a basic human right.

At an event to mark the one year anniversary of his election, Burnham spoke in front of Sir Richard Leese and Leaders from Greater Manchester's private, public and third sectors.

He praised the 'community' movement that has emerged as part of the Mayor's Homelessness Fund:

"I'm proud of everything that has been achieved but I'm not in any way being complacent. I've been out in the city centre this morning and I do believe we're starting to make a difference. But there is a long way to go - and that was the purpose of the day, not to pat each other on the back but to ask people to do more, because it's not right that people still have to sleep rough in 2018."

He reaffirmed his commitment to ending rough sleeping by 2020, but said one of the main barriers was insecure and unaffordable housing.

He urged the Government to enshrine access to affordable housing in UK law:

"For me, it's as fundamental as education and healthcare. The UN declaration of human rights actually lists housing as a basic human right. Going back in the past, we probably didn't need to legislate because the housing market broadly took care of everyone, but it doesn't do that now, it's dysfunctional and that's why we need to intervene.

"The time has come to make housing a human right in UK law, in this - the 70th anniversary of the NHS, given that housing is a healthcare issue, what better way to mark that anniversary than extending provision to housing. I think it would be a brilliant thing to do."