The leader of the Labour Party has met with Manchester church leaders and volunteers to mark Easter.

Sir Keir Starmer hosted a roundtable ahead of the Christian celebration to learn more about how churches are supporting their communities. 

Laura De Silva, Church Foundation Lead, told Starmer about the varying roles the church has had to play over a rollercoaster few years.

She said: “We've always [given] support for vulnerable people across the board, and then we've just seen it change over time. 

“So from Covid, to now with cost of living fuel, poverty, food poverty.”

Volunteer Julian Wolstencroft continued the point, saying more and more people were becoming increasingly reliant on the vital services Christian communities offer. 

He said: “Historically, we started off as a homeless drop-in so that you got shelter, hot three course meal and barbers here as they get haircut, access to clothes and things like that.” 

Fellow volunteer John Goodwin said: “It used to be mainly homeless people, but now it’s changed as people are really struggling to put a meal on the table.” 

Speaking of the core values at the heart of the Easter story, Pastor Glyn Barrett, of !Audacious Church told the opposition leader: “In a world that is hurting and broken, that sense of newness and the idea of hope is actually something that I think resonates far and wide across not just our city but across our nation and all the nations of the world.” 

The video was shared on Sir Starmer's Twitter, captioned: "Churches across Britain support their community, providing a sense of unity and hope, particularly when times are tough. At this time of optimism and new beginnings, I thank them for everything they do, and wish you all a very Happy Easter."