Bomb Slur Labour MP "should apologise to people of Manchester"

6.29.18pm GMT Tue 13th Mar 2007

Manchester Lib Dem Leader Cllr Simon Ashley has called on Bradford Labour MP Terry Rooney to apologise to the people of Manchester, following comments the MP made about the devastating 1996 IRA bomb in the city.

Cllr Ashley was responding to an article in last Thursday's Bradford Telegraph and Argus, where Mr Rooney stated that Manchester did not need a Casino, and that the IRA Bomb "was the best thing to happen to Manchester."

Cllr Simon Ashley said:

"Clearly, Mr Rooney is one of a number of Labour MPs who have not seen Manchester's bid document, or the comments from the Independent Casino Advisory panel. It is entirely because Manchester is the third most deprived local authority in the country and in need of regeneration that we won the Casino bid."

Cllr Ashley continued:

"However, I accept that people have different views about the Casino. It is his comments about the IRA bomb to which I take great exception. No-one who was in Manchester that day, who lost their jobs, were scared witless or injured by the blast, would say the bomb "was the best thing to happen to Manchester." I wouldn't wish what happened to Manchester that day on any town or city."

Cllr Ashley concluded:

"Mr Rooney should withdraw his statement and apologise for the upset he has caused to the people of Manchester."

Ends...

The original story can be found at:

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk//display.var.1247209.0.casino_decision_wrong_says_mp.php