In his first interview since before being elected to Parliament Andy Burnham has said that it is frustrating’ that Westminster wants to ‘endlessly speculate about personalities before policy and direction’
Interviewed by Andrew Marr on LBC this evening Burnham was asked whether he had been disappointed with the ‘desperate scrambling for job’s
‘I wouldn’t say disappointed. People are entitled to put their case. But I think it’s really important that people firstly understand what is being proposed here and then consider what their contribution to delivering that new direction for the country might be’
He told Andrew Marr that there is room for movement in Labour’s manifesto on tax and highlighted his pledge to cut business rates for pubs, which he says will be funded by an increase in rates on Amazon warehouses
‘Overall people can be certain of one thing with me,’
‘I am not indisciplined when it comes to the public finances. I was in the Treasury. I have run Greater Manchester for a decade
‘You can’t make it the fastest growing city region in the country without strong business confidence in what you are doing’
Reiterating his speech on Monday he said that The time has come for a circuit breaker to try something different.’
My generation of politicians has failed’ as he issued a ‘last chance’ warning to Labour
‘I did set out quite a big plan for change.’he said adding that he is ‘excited’ by the reaction he has received to his speech on Monday.
He said he will not reduce the benefits bill by going with “crude cuts”.
Instead, he says he would reduce spending by guaranteeing work placements and apprenticeships for every 16-18-year-old who wants one, expanding technical education, improving mental health support for young people and building more council homes to lower housing benefit costs.
It’s an end to neoliberalism and trickle-down economics which did not trickle down very much at all.’
Andy Burnham signals that he will take a ‘very different’ political direction when he becomes Prime Minister, promising a more ‘inclusive approach’ to government.
He admitted that he ‘wasn’t in all discussions’ after defence spending plan left him with £4.7bn black hole to fill
He also said that the location for No 10 North will be a former retail park in central Manchester
