Burnham on mission to ‘change Labour’ after Starmer’s party lost voters’ trust

Andy Burnham said he was seeking a return to Westminster to “change Labour” as pressure continued to mount on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The Greater Manchester mayor hopes to be Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election, which could provide him with a route back to Parliament to challenge for the party leadership and the keys to No 10.

In a speech at a northern investment summit in Leeds, he said: “I’m clear about what I am offering. If I get to stand, a vote for me will be a vote to change Labour, because Labour needs to change if we are to regain people’s trust.

“It will be a vote to make life more affordable again, a vote to power up places, a vote to reindustrialise.”

Mr Burnham said he was “not proposing that the UK considers rejoining the EU”, and warned against re-running the arguments of the Brexit years.

He said it was more important to “focus on what we’ve got in common” ahead of the by-election battle in the Leave-voting Makerfield seat.

He said there was a “bloated national state” and a “malnourished local one” as he argued for further devolution.

Mr Burnham said he wanted to “transfer power and resources back to local areas” if he is “returned to Parliament”.