Andy Burnham will stand as a Labour candidate to become mayor of Greater Manchester, the Leigh MP confirmed today.
The news came out before any official announcement after reporters noticed Burnham’s Twitter account for his failed Labour Leadership @andy4leader had been scrapped and replaced with @andy4manchester.
The 46-year-old Liverpudlian and current shadow Home Secretary finally confirmed the news this afternoon, saying he would step down from his other political positions if he was elected.
Burnham said his focus would be on reinvigorating Labour support in its core northern seats, and pushing for political and economic priority to be given to the so-called Northern Powerhouse.
He told The Guardian: “For me this is a cabinet-level job, which needs cabinet-level experience.
“And it needs somebody who is going to devote themselves to it and grab it with both hands.”
The mayoral elections are due to be held on Thursday 4 May 2017.
Tony Lloyd, the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner and former Manchester Central MP, was made ‘interim’ Greater Manchester Mayor in May last year.
The Bury South MP Ivan Lewis is also in the race and commented today: “I welcome Andy Burnham’s decision to join the debate about the big changes we need to fight inequality and secure a fair devolution deal which benefits all parts of Greater Manchester.”
Labour member will pick their favourite this summer.
Burnham is due to launch his bid at in a speech at The Lowry in Salford on Thursday 19 May.
