Labour leader Andy Burnham has written an open letter pledging to fight for Makerfield residents in 'every room' he enters

Those were the words of Makerfield MP Andy Burnham in an open letter to residents on the day he was made leader of the Labour party and moved a step closer to becoming prime minister.

The former Greater Manchester mayor is due to take the highest political office in the land on Monday, replacing Sir Keir Starmer.

It means he will make decisions affecting millions of people across the country and work with political leaders around the world.

But Mr Burnham insisted that he will continue to represent the people of Makerfield who elected him as their MP just a month ago.

He said he will fight for constituents “in every room I enter”, highlighted the issues he wants to address in the area and again spoke of the “Makerfield test” that he plans to use.

Here is the full letter written by Mr Burnham:

To the people of our towns – Hindley and Hindley Green, Abram, Platt Bridge and Bickershaw, Ashton and Bryn, Winstanley and Worsley Mesnes, Orrell, and Pickley Green.

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.