Burnham shuts down early election chatter and says a public debate on rejoining the EU could help unite voters
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Manchester mayor Andy Burnham told ITV he has no plans for an early general election and said any discussion about a revised relationship with the EU should be led by public opinion, not political elites.
Manchester mayor Andy Burnham appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and made clear that an early general election is not part of his plans. When asked if he was preparing the public for a vote, he said, "No, I’ve ruled that out" and added that he does not think voters want another "backward-looking squabble" when there are real issues to address. He said he wants to stay focused on his responsibilities and stressed that there is "no election coming anytime soon," urging people to put the speculation to one side.
The interview also turned to the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union. Burnham said he would like to see the country re-join the EU in his lifetime, but insisted that any such move must be decided by the British public themselves, not imposed from above. He explained, "I’m not going to dictate in terms of my own opinions here. You have to make sure that the British public are the bosses here." He argued that a serious conversation about the post-Brexit settlement could help heal divisions, saying that honest debate "can start to bring people together who voted in different ways."
Two recent polls released over the weekend showed Labour ahead of the Conservatives by eight points, reigniting speculation about a possible election in May. Burnham had previously said he would not hold an election before 2029, although he did not define exactly what he meant by an "early" election.
Later in the program, Burnham repeated that any decision on EU re-entry would not be pursued before an election and that attention should remain on delivering economic growth and responding to public concerns.