Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
(Picture: PA Wire)Andy Burnham has announced he would consider “one day” running for Prime Minister as Labour leader.
The Greater Manchester mayor said his focus is still on his current job and that he supports Sir Keir Starmer, but will not rule out standing in future.
“Perhaps one day, if that would be something people would support,” he told Sky News on Tuesday morning.
“But not now because we’ve got a leader of the Labour Party who is providing leadership during the cost-of-living crisis and I’m happy to give my full support to Keir.
“And I’ve got a job to do in Greater Manchester…and I’m making big changes to public transport, which hopefully will get people through this, and that’s where my full focus is right now.”
He added: “I’m just being honest, in the future, I’ve said I’ll serve a full second term as (mayor). If at some point beyond, way beyond this point where we are, that that was something that was a possibility, I would consider it.”
Mr Burnham has been Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017 and held a number of cabinet positions under Gordon Brown’s premiership between 2007 and 2010, acting as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Culture Secretary and Health Secretary.
His comments come as Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak battle it out in the Tory leadership race.
Conservative members are currently voting on which of the rivals should be party leader - and Prime Minister - with the result due to be announced in Westminster at 12.30pm next Monday.
Speaking to Sky News on Tuesday, Mr Burnham added that he does not support a movement calling on consumers to withhold payment for energy bills in protest against the rising cost of living.
He said he understood why people were joining Don’t Pay UK, but added: “We have to live within the rule of law”.
“At this stage it’s definitely a step I wouldn’t support,” he said. “We’ve got to keep a country where people respect the rules and the way of doing things.
“I understand why people are saying it, but I wouldn’t in any way recommend that that’s the way people should go.
“What we need is action to make things affordable for people.”
He added that he would join trade union boss Mick Lynch on a picket line, saying he sees nothing “controversial” about workers fighting for their wages.
“People are fighting for their incomes in a cost-of-living crisis,” said Mr Burnham. “Of course you’ve got to recognise the point that they are making.”
Mr Burnham urged those in Westminster to treat key workers as they did during the pandemic.
“It’s the people...that everyone was clapping, a few years ago,” he said. “Now we need to recognise that people are going to need fair pay rises if they’re going to keep Britain running through what is going to be a really challenging time.”
