Andy Burnham tells Makerfield: “I answer to you before anyone else” as he prepares to become Prime Minister
Andy Burnham has promised the people of Makerfield that they will remain his priority as he prepares to become Britain’s next Prime Minister.
In a message issued on the morning he becomes Leader of the Labour Party, Burnham thanked residents for putting their trust in him just four weeks ago and vowed to continue fighting for local issues despite his move to Downing Street.
“As your MP, I answer to you before anyone else,” he said. “And I intend to fight for you in every room I enter.”
Burnham insisted the commitments he made during the Makerfield by-election campaign remain unchanged, including securing the full clearance of the Bickershaw waste site, improving flood defences for communities including Hindley, Abram, Platt Bridge and Ashton, expanding access to healthcare in Orrell and Hindley Green, and continuing to oppose the proposed Winstanley Hall development.
He said his experience during his first four weeks as MP had strengthened his belief that government must work better for towns like those across Wigan borough.
Central to that vision is what Burnham calls the “Makerfield Test”, the principle that national policy should only be introduced if it works for communities like Makerfield.
Burnham also reaffirmed his commitment to Wigan, saying: “It is my intention to always put this place first. Wigan is my home, and no title or role will ever change that.”
The statement comes as Burnham prepares to become Labour leader today before taking over as Prime Minister on Monday, when Sir Keir Starmer is expected to formally resign. If appointed by the King, Burnham will become the first Prime Minister ever to represent a Wigan constituency.
One of Burnham’s flagship plans for government is the creation of a “Number 10 North” – a permanent prime ministerial base outside London, aimed at bringing decision-making closer to communities across the North of England.
What happens next?
Today (Friday)
- Andy Burnham becomes Leader of the Labour Party.
- He delivers his first speech as leader at around midday.
Weekend
- Burnham finalises his ministerial appointments and prepares for the transition of power.
Monday
- Sir Keir Starmer tenders his resignation to the King.
- Andy Burnham is invited to form a government and becomes Prime Minister.
- He delivers his first speech outside 10 Downing Street.
Next week
- Burnham announces his first Cabinet.
- The new government begins work on its legislative programme, including plans for a “Number 10 North” and wider devolution of powers away from Westminster.
Andy Burnham’s statement in full:
“To the people of our towns – Hindley and Hindley Green, Abram, Platt Bridge and Bickershaw, Ashton and Bryn, Winstanley and Worsley Mesnes, Orrell, and Pemberton.
“Just over four weeks ago, I asked you to believe things could change. I asked you to choose place first, not party first. Problem-solving, not point-scoring. You put your trust in me to deliver that. And today, I hope I can start to.
“I want to tell you what that means for you. As your MP, I answer to you before anyone else. And I intend to fight for you in every room I enter.
“The commitments I made to you in the campaign are stronger than ever. I’m fighting to get the dump in Bickershaw cleared in full. I’m pushing for more flooding infrastructure, to protect families in Hindley, Platt Bridge, Abram and Ashton. I’m working to get residents of Orrell and Hindley Green access to the healthcare they deserve. I’ll continue to push back against the Winstanley Hall development, and more. Above all, I promise to listen to what you, the people of Makerfield, need.
“But to deliver these commitments, small changes around the edges won’t do it. We need to rewire the country so it works for ordinary people in towns like ours.
“Four weeks in as your MP for Makerfield, I believe that more than ever. Not because of anything that’s happened in Westminster, but because of what I see and hear every day in our towns.
“That’s what the Makerfield test is for. If a policy doesn’t work for you, it shouldn’t be introduced. Because if it doesn’t work for our towns, it doesn’t work anywhere. We will never get growth up to the level Britain needs unless every single postcode in the land is set up to contribute to it. This country hasn’t thought that way before – but, with the Makerfield test at the heart of decision-making, I will make sure it does.
“I said on election night that this by-election could be a turning point. Since then, I’ve begun to set out my vision for the country – pushing power out of Whitehall, rewiring the economy so it works for ordinary people, and good growth in every postcode. But the real test of this will not be in a speech, or a policy, or a law, but in what it does for the towns and communities like ours.
“Pushing power out of Whitehall should mean that when families in Hindley, Abram or Platt Bridge need flood defences, decisions are made faster by people who understand the places they affect. Good growth in every postcode should mean opening up opportunities for our high streets and businesses. Rewiring the economy so it works for ordinary people should mean people here can enjoy a pint in Georgia Browns or the Hingemakers Arms on a Saturday night, and families can take a well-deserved holiday. That’s what these changes are really about.
“Forty-two years ago, I stood on Gerard Street in the centre of Ashton, waiting for a coach to take me to an Everton away game, the first away game without my dad beside me. Twenty-five years ago, the people of Hindley put their trust in me to be their MP for Leigh, to do right by them, to speak up for people here, and to never forget where I came from. Five years ago, my youngest graduated from St Edmund Arrowsmith, an amazing school and a pillar of our community. Four weeks ago, you elected me as your MP for Makerfield.
“I owe a lot to this area- who I am, what I believe, and the values that guide me.
“It is my intention to always put this place first. Wigan is my home, and no title or role will ever change that. Whether you voted for me or not, I answer to you. That has always been the deal and I intend to keep it.”
