Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, has declared his intention to prioritize domestic issues and address the long-standing neglect of Northern England, explicitly rejecting calls to rejoin the European Union. In his first major speech since announcing his run in the Makerfield byelection, Burnham directly challenged the notion that re-litigating Brexit is the solution to Britain's problems, arguing instead for a focus on repairing the damage wrought by decades of neoliberal policies.

Burnham's stance comes in response to comments from Wes Streeting, who recently suggested the UK should consider rejoining the EU. While Streeting's intervention signals a desire to revisit the UK's relationship with Europe, Burnham has positioned himself as a champion of those left behind by successive governments' economic policies.

“My view is that Brexit has been damaging, but I also believe the last thing we should do right now is rerun those arguments,” Burnham stated, implicitly critiquing the idea that a return to the EU would automatically solve the deep-seated issues facing communities like Makerfield.

Instead, Burnham intends to use his byelection campaign to shine a national spotlight on the plight of the North West, focusing on the tangible improvements needed to address decades of economic decline and social inequality. He directly addressed the residents of Makerfield, acknowledging the disruption the election will cause while framing it as an opportunity to finally bring their concerns to the forefront of national debate.

“I want to say sorry to the residents of the Makerfield constituency, for the circus that is about to arrive in town and some of the inconvenience they will experience as a result,” Burnham stated. He added, “But on the other hand, I want to say this to them as well: I hope you feel it’s a good thing as well, that the places that make up this constituency, long forgotten by national politics, finally are at the centre of the national debate.”

Burnham's platform centers on the argument that places like Makerfield have been systematically failed by successive governments, dating back to the deindustrialization of the 1980s. He argues that the subsequent deregulation, privatization, and austerity measures have exacerbated existing inequalities, leading to a situation where wealth is siphoned out of Northern communities and concentrated in the hands of a privileged few.