Greater Manchester mayor: Labour's Andy Burnham launches re-election bid

Andy Burnham used to be MP for Leigh in Greater Manchester

Andy Burnham has launched his re-election campaign as he seeks a third term as Greater Manchester's mayor.

The former Labour cabinet minister, who has been in post since 2017, urged voters to examine his track record.

Mr Burnham addressed colleagues and supporters at Salford Lads Club, and posed for photographs outside the building, which was made famous by 1980s band The Smiths.

Voters from across Greater Manchester's 10 boroughs head to the polls on 2 May.

Mr Burnham said he was "more energised than ever" about leading Greater Manchester, which he said was "leading the way" in using powers given to regions through devolution.

"We are showing there's a better way than the Whitehall way," he added.

Greater Manchester had been a "beacon of hope" in dark times, he said.

Other candidates to publicly announce their intention to stand in the election, listed in alphabetical order, are:

• Jake Austin - Liberal Democrats

• Dan Barker - Reform

• Nick Buckley - Independent

• Laura Evans - Conservative

• Hannah Spencer - Green

Nominations close at 16:00 BST on Friday 5 April 2024.

For his campaign launch, Mr Burnham said he had chosen Salford Lads Club - a symbol of working-class aspiration and the last surviving purpose-built "lads club" in England - because it meant "so much" to him.

As he bid for a third term, he cited his record in office, claiming:

• the local economy was outperforming the national average

• he had turned around Greater Manchester Police, for example by hiring 1,600 more police

• he had fulfilled his main pledge from 2021 by bringing local bus services, the Bee Network, back under public ownership, with more routes and lower fares

He defended his record on rough sleeping amid criticism from opponents that he had failed to achieve his 2017 pledge to end the need for it.

He argued that was due in part to an increase in refugees being evicted from Home Office accommodation.

He said: "A Bed Every Night is in place. It looks after six hundred people a night, we got the number right down.

"I can't though, control what the government does nationally."

During the Covid pandemic the former health secretary clashed with the Conservative government and has since complained about what he sees as a lack of transport investment.

Mr Burnham spoke of three "big ideas" if he was elected.

He said he would focus on housing - with a "Good Landlords Charter" to improve standards and give renters more rights as well as greater enforcement powers.

Mr Burnham also spoke of talks with the Labour front bench about devolving the Department for Work and Pensions budget to provide greater support for people in the region.

And he said his "most audacious ambition yet" was the introduction of the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate or Mbacc, for technical education as an alternative to the university route, which he dubbed a "game-changer" for young people in the region.

"We are fixing the fundamentals to put people at the heart of all the things that matter." he said.