The mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has been campaigning in Gwent for the Senedd elections – and has stated that he is doing so to back Labour candidates.
The ex-cabinet minister, who left Westminster shortly after losing Labour’s 2015 leadership contest, was prevented from standing for Parliament earlier this year when the party’s national executive blocked his candidacy in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
In the Senedd election, Labour is forecast to lose its top position for the first time during the 27-year devolution period and the first time in a century in a major Welsh election, while in England the party is preparing for the potential loss of thousands of council seats and continued difficulty in regaining ground in the Scottish Parliament.
The outcomes of the various polls on Thursday 7 May could increase pressure on Keir Starmer’s leadership, but the mayor, whose bid to become an MP was viewed as potentially the start of a leadership challenge, rejected suggestions that his brief visits across South Wales were related to his party standing.
He stated: I have been a member for over 40 years and an elected politician for 25 years, and at no point during those 25 years have I ever simply sat at home during elections anywhere in the country. So the answer is no. Whenever Labour members are fighting elections, I will fight alongside them.
Mr Burnham visited Swansea and Porthcawl on Thursday 30 April before seeing his daughter, who studies in Cardiff, where he also campaigned that evening, followed by a meeting with Labour candidates and council leader Dimitri Batrouni in Newport on Friday morning and then travelling to the Big Pit mining museum in Blaenavon.
Only Labour councillors and Torfaen MP Nick Thomas-Symonds were present, and Mr Burnham filmed a campaign video with Sir Fynwy Torfaen Labour candidates Lynne Neagle and Anthony Hunt, in which he criticised Reform UK, including local lead candidates former Conservative Senedd Member Laura Anne Jones and Stephen Senior, who was also a local Conservative councillor.
Mr Burnham told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he supports the work of the Welsh Labour Government despite challenges it faces with other parties questioning its record and years in power.
He explained: I spend a lot of time in Wales, my daughter studies in Cardiff, I have been in and out of Cardiff frequently in recent years, and I see similar changes occurring there to those we are trying to bring about in Manchester. The Welsh Labour Government, I believe I am correct in saying, built the International Conference Centre in Newport, which is a significant economic driver. I see the transformation in north Wales as well. Reversing the deindustrialisation carried out by the Conservatives is not easy – I know that as mayor of Greater Manchester, I probably understand that as well as anyone in this country. But I see it happening here in Wales. I would simply ask people to consider this. The leaders of Reform were the original Thatcherites – they were applauding when Wales was deindustrialised, when the communities of South Wales were quite literally destroyed.
Mr Burnham also accused Reform of posturing when it was suggested the party could offer change after 27 years of Labour government: Well they are posturing, aren’t they? People will have to make their own judgement, and I am simply sharing what I believe to be true. The two Reform candidates here were former Conservatives – they are the new Thatcherites, and they never stood up for Wales in the past, and I do not believe they will in the future.
When asked whether he wished to return to Parliament, Mr Burnham responded that he had put himself forward earlier this year, so that answered the question.
However, he mentioned that he had recently met with the Prime Minister, describing this as evidence of working with others and supporting him and the government.
Mr Burnham dismissed questions about whether former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner or England’s health secretary Wes Streeting could challenge Mr Starmer for the leadership, stating: I am aware the media always wants to pursue those topics, but I have been travelling across South Wales for one reason only – to support our Labour candidates.
When asked whether he believed a cabinet minister such as Mr Thomas-Symonds could temporarily take over as Prime Minister to allow him to lead Labour at the next general election, Mr Burnham began to respond, saying that no one was putting themselves forward, before his minder intervened and stated they needed to leave.
Mr Thomas-Symonds said Mr Starmer, whom he will accompany to the European Political Community Summit in Armenia this weekend, was doing an excellent job and rejected speculation about his position, stating: There is no contest, there is no suggestion of a contest. Keir Starmer is the Prime Minister.
He also stated that a temporary prime minister to enable Labour to find another leader for the next election was not viable: The notion of having any kind of stand-in for high office is completely out of the question, but in any case we have a prime minister who has not even completed two years of his five-year mandate.
In response to Mr Burnham’s remarks, Reform Wales stated: The only party that can end Labour rule in Wales is Reform.
Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives, the Green Party, Liberal Democrats as well as the Open Party and the Heritage Party and two independent candidates are contesting Sir Fynwy Torfaen.