‘I made a decision and I’m still fighting for Greater Manchester’, he said after being blocked from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election by Labour’s National Executive Committee
14:43, 07 Feb 2026Updated 22:30, 07 Feb 2026
Andy Burnham
Andy Burnham said he has a feeling of ‘unfinished business’ in Westminster, but hinted he could still be run for Greater Manchester mayor in 2028.
Pushed if he would be committed to the role for the next two years, the mayor – after some deliberation – said ‘yes’.
It comes after Burnham announced on January 24 that he had applied to stand as Labour‘s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, triggered by the resignation of Andrew Gwynne.
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His plans were scuppered the following day when Labour’s National Executive Committee voted to block him from standing.
The topic of the by-election was briefly touched upon in the final five minutes of a nearly hour-long interview on Oldham Community Radio on Saturday (February 7).
He said he chose to stand as he is concerned about a ‘new brand of politics that seems to be arising that’s very much about division’, adding: “Sometimes in my job you have to take a stand if you don’t agree with some of the changes.
“I’m profoundly worried about it, it felt to me that the by-election was a moment to take that fight very directly forward. Obviously my own party didn’t allow me to do that.
“What I will say to people listening who say ‘well that means you weren’t bothered about your job’, well I am bothered about this job, it was a very hard decision with the family to do it and a toss of the coin – a 50/50, even a 51/49 type decision.”
Andy Burnham has said he has a feeling of ‘unfinished business’ in Westminster during an interview with Oldham Community Radio (Image: PA)
The interview covered everything from the Bee Network and the regeneration of Oldham, to Burnham’s time at Cambridge University listening to The Smiths. And, of course, the by-election and selection drama.
The mayor chose six records to play, although he admitted he’d forgotten them by the time the interview took place. Naturally, he included songs by The Smiths, Stone Roses and The Verve.
Introduced as the King of the North, he was quick to downplay that title – insisting he’s saying he’s ‘way down the pecking order’ in his own home and that his daughter regularly texts him reminding him to take the bins out.
Burnham said it is a ‘strange time… a very turbulent time, not just in the UK but in the world.”
He added: “But here in Greater Manchester, we’re powering on. The period we’re going into, we will hopefully see all our boroughs move forward, Oldham as well.
“It is a challenging time, but we’ve got to be a lot to be proud of.” The major says he was ‘very proud’ of the Bee Network and said he uses it himself, ‘occasionally catching the V1 from Leigh into Manchester… occasionally on the trams’.
Burnham said he does so to ‘walk in the shoes of everyone in Greater Manchester’. He added that he’s ‘loved every minute of [his] role’.
Oldham was a big topic of discussion and he praised council leader Arooj Shah’s work in ‘bringing forward a vision’ for the borough, which he supports.
An aerial view of homes on January 28, 2026 in Gorton(Image: Getty Images)
The mayor discussed the revitalisation of the town centre; Northern Roots in Alexandra Park; and Sports Town. He said the latter will ‘drive regeneration’ and highlighted at the example of Stockport.
Burham added: “It’s an entity that brings all the partners together… the big players lined up together to bring a common vision for the area and make it happen. It’s been successful in Stockport and I have every confidence it will help us achieve the vision of Sports Town.”
The bulk of the show was a Desert Island Discs-style set up, with Burnham going through his song choices from childhood, to his time at Cambridge and going for the Leigh parliamentary seat (soundtracked by The Verve). Finally it touched upon recent events.
The mayor was asked if his family played a role in his decision. He said that as an ‘Irish-Scouse Catholic Evertonian family’, no decisions are made without consulting everyone.
Commenting on his bid for the Parliamentary seat, he said he ‘had to make the choice very quickly’, adding: “I’ve loved every minute of this job… as mayor of Greater Manchester. But at some point you’ve also got to defend what you’ve built and you know you have to recognise there’s a period in everything.
Burnham earlier said he would ‘return with full focus’ to his role as mayor of Greater Manchester(Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
“To me, without getting overly political, because I realise this isn’t a political kind of platform, I don’t want to see what Greater Manchester has built over the years, I don’t want see it undermined by, let’s say, by the new brand of politics that seems to be arising that’s very much about division, pitting people and communities against each other. I think that would threaten what we’ve built here.”
Burnham referenced the region’s history of welcoming others and standing up against injustice – something he described as ‘precious’.
Reflecting on being blocked by the Labour NEC, he said: “There’s no feeling of frustration being back here, you know. I made a decision and I’m still fighting for Greater Manchester in the north, I’m glad to be back in.
“I think at some point before my political career ends, I do feel more changes are needed at the national level if the north of England is ever going to be everything it should be again.
“We’ve been held back by the culture in Westminster and Whitehall. I’ve got an unfinished business feeling about that, so whether that… in fact, not now. That’s fine, because really, I do say – I love what I’m doing here.”
Asked whether he will remain mayor for another two years, after some deliberation, he said: “As we sit here today, yes is the answer to that. But I don’t know what the world will throw up in a couple of months, or whatever.
“I am committed to doing the same thing which is fighting for this area, championing it, promoting the success we’re beginning to achieve, it may well be the case, not just that I’m in this role for two years, I may even be asking for everyone’s vote again in 2028… who knows.”
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