🚨REPORT: The BBC plans to skip broadcasting the World Cup final halftime show
The network is expected to continue with its usual blueprint of pundits analyzing the first half
🚨 NEW: A poll shows Labour could win a general election tomorrow if Andy Burnham was the leader
🔴 LAB: 30% (+8)
➡️ RFM: 27% (-2)
🔵 CON: 20% (+1)
🟠 LIB: 11% (-2)
🟢 GRN: 7% (-4)
🟡 SNP: 3% (=)
Via @Moreincommon_, 2,599 people
I am proud and humbled to have been selected as Labour’s candidate for Makerfield.
These proud working-class communities represent the very best values of our country and they deserve so much better. It would be my honour to work for them every day, if elected as their MP, to achieve that.
Many people here feel Westminster isn’t working for them and they are right. I am standing to change that and get the voice of these communities heard loud and clear.
I am glad that this by-election has finally put the places that make up the Makerfield constituency into the national spotlight. They have been neglected by national politics for too long. It is a good thing that all political parties are now on the hook to tell the voters here what they are going to do for them.
More than anything, people need life to be more affordable again. As Mayor, I have brought in changes which are helping, such as the £2 fare cap, free bus travel for our 16-18 year-olds and removing the 9.30am restriction from older and disabled people’s bus passes. But there is only so much I can do from Greater Manchester. If elected, I will have a relentless focus on reducing people’s everyday costs and bills and well as securing the investment these communities need.
I have been an elected representative in Greater Manchester for 25 years. Throughout that time, I have fought for the people of the North West of England on so many fronts. I am now ready to bring the whole weight of that experience to fighting for the communities of the Makerfield constituency and would be privileged to be given that opportunity.
Andy Burnham abandoning his post as Mayor, and triggering an election in service of nothing other than his own ambition.
Using the people of Makerfield as his pawns.
Big mistake.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has set out his views on Labour's path forward and the policy challenges facing the country.
Speaking to Channel 4 News' Andrew Misra, Burnham said he wanted Labour to become “a party that they can believe in again, a party solidly on the side of working class people.”