Gorton by-election revealed ‘chasm’ between politics and people, Burnham warns
The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester suggested the result demonstrated Westminster was not focused on the priorities of ordinary people.
The Gorton and Denton by-election “revealed the full depth of the chasm between people and Westminster politics”, Andy Burnham has said in one of his first public comments on the ballot.
The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, who was snubbed by the Labour Party’s ruling body as its candidate for the seat, suggested the by-election demonstrated Westminster was not focused on the priorities of ordinary people.
The Green Party’s candidate Hannah Spencer won the constituency – previously a Labour stronghold – in last Thursday’s by-election.
Labour came third, after Reform UK in second.
Mr Burnham addressed the by-election as he appeared at an event hosted by the Centre for Cities think tank in central London.
He told the audience: “From my point of view, I’m definitely not here to talk about my career plans, other than to say I wrote a book as you might know, with the mayor of the Liverpool City region Steve Rotheram, about leaving Westminster and establishing devolution across England.
“It’s called Head North. All I can say today is that the sequel Head South is currently on hold.”
He added: “What I want to say today is that the time has most definitely come for a serious conversation about our political system and its pervading culture, particularly so in the aftermath of the Gorton and Denton by-election.
“It revealed the full depth of the chasm between people and Westminster politics. I don’t think anybody can seriously dispute that statement.”
Mr Burnham described polling by More in Common which found a majority of people do not think the cost-of-living crisis will ever end as “code red for Westminster politics”.
He added: “This is getting extremely dangerous, and change in our political system and culture is desperately needed.”
Mr Burnham was asked by reporters why he had considered a return to Westminster giving his misgivings about the place.
He replied: “I don’t think Greater Manchester’s full ambitions are achievable with the political system staying as it is. There is, in my view, a bias against the North of England.
“I saw it with my own eyes in Westminster, and not just an emotional bias, it’s hardwired, it’s in the green boo.
“Therefore I just don’t think in the rest of this century it (Manchester) will be everything I believe it can be with that culture still pervading, where we are always begging for things and having to constantly lobby for everything.”
A further attempt by journalists to ask Mr Burnham about the outcome of the by-election was shut down by Centre for Cities chief executive Andrew Carter, who was chairing the event.
Elsewhere in his speech, Mr Burnham called for further and more widespread devolution of powers across the UK.
City regions within Scotland and Wales should be given their own devolved powers and responsibilities, beyond those of the devolved national governments, he suggested.
He also hit out at a culture within Westminster of reluctance to devolve powers which could prove more useful for local leaders to hold.
“What is the rationale for Westminster hanging on to all of the power over those things when clearly they can’t do it from where they are?” Mr Burnham said.
He added: “Honestly, I’m getting to the point where I just refuse to spend any more of my working week making the case to Whitehall for more devolved powers, because I spent way too much time of my time doing that.
“Why aren’t they just looking at the evidence, getting behind us and getting on with it? It just makes you think they don’t actually want growth everywhere.
