Andy Burnham says he has job to finish in North West - but leaves door open for Westminster return

Speaking during a live interview on Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel on GB News on April 7, Mr Burnham, left a door open in reply to a suggestion that he is the natural candidate to replace Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.

He also admitted that he found it difficult at times to function effectively in Westminster when he was part of the Labour front-bench.

But when asked by host Eamonn when he will be returning to national politics in Westminster, he refused to rule it out and replied: “No time soon.”

Mr Burnham said: “My heart is here and always has been. I love the North West of England. I love Manchester but I've got affinities to Liverpool as well.

“I just always felt a bit of a fish out of water at times in Westminster, it wasn't my natural habitat.”

Mr Burnham said he was staying put in Manchester to serve a full second term as mayor but said he would be open to suggestions when that ends in May 2024.

He added: “I’m really genuinely passionate about what we're doing here. The north of England has got the best opportunity we'll ever have to change, to get the transport that we need.

“This sounds like a politician's answer, but it actually happens to be true, I love what I'm doing here, I consider it a complete privilege to do this, serving a full second term.

“I might consider my options after that, but I actually feel much happier in this job than I ever did when I was in Westminster and the reason why is that you can be yourself.”

Mr Burnham suggested he valued the independence his current role afforded him: “Sometimes in politics in Westminster, you have to behave a certain way, to say certain things, to vote in a certain way.

“I think to the public they don't come over as sort of looking like they believe what they're doing and I felt myself becoming like that when I was in Westminster.”