We asked 73 voters if they still back Andy Burnham – this is what they said

Andy Burnham’s name is on Greater Manchester’s lips more so than usual.

Usually a popular figure in the city, the mayor has dominated the national news since Thursday (January 22), when Andrew Gwynne resigned as the MP for Gorton and Denton, 11 months on from the ‘Trigger Me Timbers’ WhatsApp scandal.

With Gwynne gone, Burnham was now presented a clear path to Parliament — which could have allowed him to challenge Keir Starmer to lead the Labour Party, and become Britain’s fifth Prime Minister this decade. 

Talk of a Burnham leadership bid ramped up last summer, never discouraged by the mayor, and persisted into 2026, even with several obvious hurdles in the way, like a requirement to resign as mayor just to stand in the by-election.

But the mayor clearly felt it was too good an opportunity to miss, asking Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) for permission to stand in Gorton and Denton at 5pm on Saturday (January 24).

Within 17 hours the dream was dead. The NEC blocked his bid, with Keir Starmer being one of eight voting against his candidacy.

Burnham said he was ‘disappointed’ on Sunday afternoon (January 25). He’s stayed relatively tight-lipped since, repeatedly declining to answer questions about the affair, save for striking a conciliatory tone in encouraging Labour MPs to come to Manchester to campaign for the party’s candidate.

His ambitions for a House of Commons return in tatters, he now says his ‘full focus’ is being the mayor of Greater Manchester. But the elephant in the room is Mr Burnham appears to be working his second-choice job, knowing he would need to leave the mayoralty to serve as an MP.

Mancs know that too. The question then becomes if they still view him as ‘the King of the North’, or just another careerist politician trying to climb the greasy pole.

The LDRS asked 73 voters on Tuesday and Wednesday (January 27 and 28) in Greater Manchester to see if they still back Burnham.

“We’ve got a Prime Minister who’s a pain in the a***”

One town in Greater Manchester definitively knows Andy Burnham best: Leigh, where he was the MP for 16 years. He grew up nearby and still lives in the area.

Ken and Anita Boardman were out in the town and they say they still back him.

Anita, 68, said: “When I heard he’d been knocked back from standing by Labour my first thought was ‘what are they scared of’? I think it will lead to more problems for them down the line.”

Ken, 70, added: “People may say that making the move to stand for Parliament shows a lack of focus on the Mayor job but I don’t think this will distract him.”

Brian Crompton, 79, from Hindley Green in Wigan, added: “I think he’s still well thought of around Leigh as he’s local and spent a long time as an MP here.

“A lot of people will say he was good for the borough. I do think he has it in him to become a party leader or even a future PM.”

In nearby Eccles, voters also still seemed supportive of Burnham as mayor and wanted to see him back in Parliament. Alan Bonney, 48, said: “If Andy Burnham wanted to go back to Parliament and try to be Prime Minister, I’d rather have him over anyone else if I had a choice. Keir Starmer’s the worst leader we’ve ever had, I don’t know anyone who likes him.”

Bernard Fagan, 84, concurred: “What happened hasn’t changed my opinion of Andy Burnham, I think he’s just another politician, but at least he says what he feels like and he doesn’t hide it, while we’ve got a Prime Minister who’s a pain in the a***. 

“The problem with what Andy Burnham did was it would have cost all this money and he’s still got half his term as mayor to run. I think he’s doing great as mayor of Greater Manchester, he says what he thinks, I believe he tells the truth, and suddenly he’s found his voice louder.”

“Andy is one of the few politicians I respect”

Stretford’s Sue Gettins, 76, usually doesn’t like politicians, but makes an exception for Andy: “I don’t rate the Labour Party. I don’t rate the other parties.

“But Andy Burnham is one of the few politicians I do respect and like. I was sorry he didn’t want to continue being mayor of Manchester because I want him to be mayor of Manchester.”

Another fan was Timperley’s Simon Kelly, 60, who believes Burnham is the only man who can stop Reform in Gorton and Denton — making Labour’s decision to block him puzzling, he explained: “When they were sat in that room and they went ‘no, we’re going to stop Andy Burnham’, did someone not sit there and say ‘that’s really bad optics’? 

“But also ‘look around, we need to be worried about more than Andy Burnham’ because [Sir Keir Starmer] might be worried about losing his job, but the fact of the matter is that, if they don’t buck their ideas up, there’s no way the Labour Party is getting reelected.”

However, Altrincham was split on if Burnham should move to Downing Street, with Tom Gurrie, 67, telling the LDRS he thought Mr Burnham makes a good mayor, would have made a good MP for the area, but lacks ‘the gravitas’ for PM.

Joyce Talbot, 71, from Stockport, agreed: “I’ve not changed my opinion on Andy Burnham, I’m not a Labour person anyway, but I like him as the mayor and he’d probably do okay as an MP. 

“I like him, I like to listen to him on the radio on a Thursday, I find him to be a very honest man, I just get those vibes from him. 

“He’d still be in Manchester if he was elected MP [for Gorton and Denton], it’s hard to say what he’ll do because he’s been in the position of mayor for several years, it’s up to him but I don’t think Keir Starmer should have stood in his way.”

“He’s a slimeball”

Rochdale is no stranger to by-elections, with a 2024 poll following Tony Lloyd’s death resulting in George Galloway’s four-month stint representing the town.

Pensioner Barry Helm rates Burnham suggesting ‘Manchester is a booming city now’ so ‘maybe he could do that for the country’.

“As a Rochdalian from the north, why not have a northern Prime Minister? I think I’d prefer someone without a knighthood,” he added.

But Jackie Pye, visiting the bank with her precious pooch Lady disagreed: “I think he was putting us second. He has put his own ambitions first.

“If he is dealing with the public he ought to realise how to go about these things. I’m not enamoured by him – he’s not good with the details, he’s a showman.

“I wouldn’t want him to be Prime Minister. My opinion of him is lower after all that, he was trying to weasel his way in and I’m glad he got knocked back.”

In nearby Oldham, shoppers at the Tommyfield Market seemed happy with Burnham as mayor. Wolfing down a Greggs cheese and onion bake, stand-up comedian Faizan Shah said he ‘made a massive difference in Manchester’.

“I’d like to see him as PM,” the 32-year-old added. “I think he’d do a much better job than [Keir Starmer] — but then I think an upturned bin would do a better job. 

“[The NEC blocking Burnham] is just another case of them shooting themselves in the foot. Who are they going to put there instead? Whoever it is, they probably won’t win.”

But Jenny, 47, believes Oldham’s not felt the Burnham benefit: “I don’t think Burnham is too bad. He’s got some good ideas, but I think there’s some things he’s overlooked. You see Oldham now, and it’s changed so much in the last 10-15 years with lots of businesses moving out and people struggling with the cost of living. 

“I think it’s to do with the tram service – it’s a good thing to have the tram, but I think it’s also killed towns like Oldham because it’s so easy to leave, so then all the businesses here fail and the market is dying. It’s driving people out.”

She added she ‘can’t see him actually being in the position of MP or Prime Minister’ because ‘some of his ideas seem quite off the cuff’, which makes her ‘worry what he would do if he was in that position’.

Erik didn’t stop for long to chat, but his views aren’t in doubt: “He’s a slimeball. I think Starmer is protecting himself by blocking him, but it doesn’t matter to me, because I wouldn’t vote for either of them.”

“I do like Andy Burnham… I think it’s his eyelashes. He’s got lovely eyelashes.” 

However, carer Catherine Ormerod, who interrupted her 44th birthday with a day out in Bury by chatting politics, disagreed. She said: “It’s not changed my mind about him. I think he would make a great MP.

“He’s a man for the people of Manchester. When things happen in Manchester, he’s there and he takes a stand against the government if he needs to. That’s why they don’t want him, they feel threatened by him.”

Charlotte Hind, 64, ‘cannot believe the NEC blocked him’. She went on: “I think Keir Starmer is frightened of him. 

“I think [Burnham] should be Prime Minister. He’s a man of the people – he knows what people want and need, and he knows what it’s like to struggle.” 

Retired pharmacist Charlotte said she was a lifelong Labour supporter, but recently stopped voting red because she’s become disillusioned by the direction the party is going in – but she says Burnham is the only Labour person she’d still vote for. 

“I do like Andy Burnham,” she added. “I think it’s his eyelashes. He’s got lovely eyelashes.” 

It’s not just Burnham’s cilia which draw Mancs towards him. Veteran voter Alan, 73, in Bolton, says he’s a ‘good communicator’ and ‘approachable’.

New voter, Maryam Puda, studying health and social care at the University of Greater Manchester has seen the mayor’s message cut through.

The 18-year-old said: “I hadn’t heard that he wanted to become an MP but I am aware of Andy Burnham, mostly through TikTok reels.

“I know some are not reliable but from what I’ve seen he seems like a good mayor. I think he does translate to younger people and I have seen him get his message across on social media.”

But some in Greater Manchester remember one of the mayor’s more unpopular moves, prompting attacks.

John Bryers, 41, from Breightmet, said: “He tried to introduce the clean air charges which would have punished thousands of people, mostly tradespeople with vans, have people forgotten about that?

“I don’t know what he stands for and when I talk among my friends he’s deeply unpopular. If he values being mayor, why’s he trying to be an MP?”

“I had to light a cigarette when I saw he was blocked”

While the 2022 clean air zone U-turn, a saga that ultimately ended with a non-charging clean air plan, lives in some people’s memories, others are focusing on the here and now.

Lin Taylor, 63, from Dukinfield, said: “I think Andy Burnham is good at his job. I was all for him going for it. 

“I think he’s good at what he does because he delivers on promises unlike the current government. I thought it was bang out of order blocking him.

“I’m glad to keep him as mayor, but I think he would’ve been a good MP.”

Louise Kennedy, a pensioner in Ashton-under-Lyne who votes Reform, was also shocked.

“I had to light a cigarette when I saw he got blocked from running in the by-election,” she explained. “I think a Starmer is sticking around for no reason, he must know he’s not wanted.

“I think all Mancunians would vote Burnham in. I have always liked him, even though he’s not in charge of Ashton, my opinion hasn’t changed on that.”

While one Reform supporter can see Burnham’s appeal, another cannot. Fellow Reform fan Yvonne Dale said: “I think Burnham is rubbish. No one likes him and he’s done nothing for Greater Manchester despite what he says about the transport stuff.

“I’m not keen on him going for a government position and I was glad he got blocked. I’m voting Reform at the next election to sort things out because we’ve got nothing for veterans and old people and there are loads of homeless people.

“I don’t think Andy Burnham has put Greater Manchester first by going for candidacy. He put his own ambitions first.”

“We all change jobs”

Shannon Tilley, 25, held a different view to Yvonne. Taking a break in St Anne’s Square said the mayor’s move ‘does not bother me’.

She added: “If he wants to change job, he can change job. We all change jobs.”

A retired teacher from Bury, Ian Bradley thinks the bid to be MP ‘was a misjudgement’. 

“I understand his reasons, but it’s ambition, and people are tired of that,” he added in the city centre. “He would be better as a team player. I do not see how he cannot speak his mind at national level from the mayor position.

“Why can’t he focus on the challenges from the far right here? I am disappointed by that.”

The LDRS spoke to two Gorton and Denton voters. One was Tom McCabe, 31, who lives in the Tameside town and didn’t want Burnham on the ballot.

He said: “From what I’ve heard Andy Burnham is doing a good job for the region as mayor, but I’d prefer him to stay here. As for the by-election, everyone is voting for something different now, they want something they’ve not had before. Green and Reform are the new left and right.”

Christos Baimpakis, from Gorton, was the other. It looks like he would have supported Burnham if he stood in the by-election. The 43-year-old said: “I have heard fantastic things about him. He looks like he cares for the people. I’m happy with him.

“He needs to do more about crime, stabbing, and homeless people. But other than that, I think he is cool.”

But Christos, smoking a cigarette outside the Arndale was rare as one of the few people not to know who Andy Burnham was without a description. When he was reminded of the mayor’s trademark glasses and Adidas trainer look, he remembered instantly: “I used to work at the Bridgewater Hall and I served him once. He looks human, he looks more human than politician.”

The fact Christos was only one of 73 not to know who the mayor was speaks volumes about the mayor’s notoriety. It appears his popularity is still intact with Greater Manchester — but it’s not as universal as it once was.