Former Labour leadership candidate and MP for Leigh, Andy Burnham, has confirmed he will not be standing in the upcoming General Election but will instead be running as first elected mayor of Greater Manchester.
Burnham (pictured) is to step down as Leigh's fifth member of parliament after 16 years in the seat. The shadow home secretary first indicated plans to leave his post at the Labour Party conference in September 2016 but said the decision for a snap General Election had brought his plans forward. He said: "We are living through a crisis in politics and the Westminster system is in my view a major part of the problem. "We could hold as many General Elections as we like and yet Westminster would still be structurally incapable of developing a real response to the deep-rooted issues re...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
Signup and gain exclusive members-only insights
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes
