YORK council's new boss Claire Douglas took part in a zoom meeting with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer today - despite having Covid.

Cllr Douglas, who took over as the leader of City of York Council in last week's elections, met with Sir Keir and 21 other new Labour council leaders this morning, even though she had just tested positive.

The meeting, which was also attended by Labour shadow cabinet members Angela Rayner, Rachel Reeves and Lisa Nandy, was to discuss delivering emergency cost-of-living action plans in councils across the country within 100 days.

Cllr Douglas, who described her Covid symptoms as no worse than a cold, said she spoke at the meeting about York Labour's plans to introduce free school meals for every primary school child in the city.

She said it was a hugely upbeat meeting.

"There was a real sense that this (Labour's success in the local elections) was a springboard to the next general election, which we expect in the next 12-18 months," she said.

Last week’s local election saw Labour become the largest party in local government, for the first time since 2002.

The party took 22 councils - including York - and gained over 500 councillors.

Labour says that all its new council leaders will pledge to deliver emergency cost of living action plans within 100 days of taking control.

Sir Keir Starmer has also promised that a Labour government ‘won’t abandon the ambitions of generation rent’, by introducing ambitious targets for building good quality and affordable homes.

He says council leaders will review the housing and development plans which they have inherited to make sure they reflect local need.

Sir Keir said: "Meeting our new council leaders this morning, the energy to get started straight away tackling the cost of living crisis for their constituents was palpable. There's a hunger and drive to deliver the change that people voted for. 

"It's clear that last Thursday, Labour offered a positive alternative for the people of York and they have given us their trust. Claire and the York team will act on that trust straight away. 

"We know it’s now our duty to not waste a day in delivering on the Labour commitment to ease the squeeze on people’s pockets. 

“York Labour will show the difference Labour in power makes. We'll build a better York, together."

The new Labour councils will draw on the work already being carried out by Labour led authorities across the country, ‘because where Labour is in power, we deliver for our communities,’ Sir Keir says.

Each new Labour council, including York, will be twinned with an existing Labour-led local authority to enable them to harness best practice and ‘quickly get a grip of the number one issue keeping people up at night.’