Burnham has "full focus" on Mayor of Greater Manchester role

Monday, 26 January 2026 10:45

By Adam Clark / George Lythgoe, LDRS

Andy Burnham says his "full focus" is on his job as Mayor of Greater Manchester, after being blocked in his bid to become an MP.

All eyes have been on Mr Burnham this morning who has appeared in public for the first time since the decision was made yesterday afternoon.

Avoiding the media waiting at the entrance for his arrival at a ‘Class Ceiling’ event today, he slipped through a side door into The Whitworth gallery on Oxford Road.

Opening his keynote speech, Mr Burnham addressed the elephant in the room: “I’ve read every single word of this report because I haven’t had anything else to do this weekend.”

During the speech, the initial joke was his one of very few references to being blocked from running to replace former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne. After that he threw his full support behind the Class Ceiling report.

There were no time for questions and was gone as quickly as he arrived, pushing through members of the press to exit the venue as soon as he finished speaking.

The Labour politician remained tight-lipped about the events of the weekend as he entered a lift with his entourage, out the building and onto his next diary commitment.

After being stopped by journalists whilst entering the lift, he said: "I'm at work. Enjoying the job."

"I've said what I needed to say, and here I am back in my job. A full focus on my job as mayor of Greater Manchester."

The report was officially launched today following an inquiry that outlined how creatives are struggling to break into and are leaving the arts. It also highlighted how Manchester is become ‘too posh’ and losing track of its working class roots, which has moulded its identity on a global scale.

Mr Burnham pushed for more paid placements for young people going into the arts and media sector. Using an example from his own time on the Middleton Guardian post-university.

The GM mayor explained how he couldn’t keep up that unpaid placement, which eventually led to him moving on. He wanted to see less people from a working classing background dissuaded from pursuing a career path just back of a lack of affluence.

Speaking to the broadcasters' pool, Sir Keir Starmer reaffirmed that Andy Burnham is doing a "great job", but allowing him to run for a Westminster seat would "divert our resources" from Labour campaigns in May's elections.

"There's no question of me and Andy not working very well together. He's doing an excellent job."

"Last year, in sad circumstances, we had to respond together to the attack in a synagogue in Manchester, standing side by side, reassuring the community.

"This year with the Northern Powerhouse Rail, we're working together to deliver something that matters to Andy Burnham, to the region, to millions of people."

He added: "We have really important elections already across England for local councils, very important elections in Wales for the government there and very important elections in Scotland for the Scottish government that will affect millions of people."

Starmer has said Labour should concentrate on improving the cost of living & fighting Reform UK rather than internal divisions.

"I'd say there is a fight. Yes, there is a fight, but that fight is with Reform, and we all need to line up together to be in that fight, all playing our part.

"I think that everybody in the Labour Party, everybody who's a Labour MP, wants to be in that fight, wants to fight alongside all their colleagues in a fight that matters hugely to the future of our country."

A selection panel will choose a longlist of possible Labour candidates for the Gorton and Denton by-election later on Monday.

Shortlisting interviews will be held on Tuesday before the hustings and selection next Saturday.

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