Andy Burnham accused of 'taking Makerfield voters for granted' in bid to oust Keir Starmer

Robert Jenrick has accused Andy Burnham of "taking Makerfield for granted" ahead of the upcoming by-election.

Speaking to GB News, the Reform UK Treasury spokesman launched a scathing attack on the Mayor for Greater Manchester after announcing his bid to stand.

Reacting to Mr Burnham being approved by Labour's national executive to stand, Mr Jenrick told GB News: "We have opened up our applications, and we expect some very strong candidates and we'll be saying more about that in the coming days.

"But I tell you what will be different between the Reform candidate and Andy Burnham, it will be someone who actually cares about representing the people of this constituency."

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Mr Jenrick argued Mr Burnham's move to stand in Makerfield is part of his "plan to become Prime Minister" and oust Sir Keir Starmer.

He said: "Andy Burnham is just using the people of Makerfield for his own ends, he's taking them for granted. It's just his opportunity to try and become Prime Minister.

"We want to have someone who is actually going to be a strong representative for these communities."

Delivering a clear message to the constituents of Makerfield, the Reform MP declared: "My message to people in Makerfield would be if you want to stop the boats, if you want to get rid of Labour who have let this town and the communities around it down for a very long time, then you have to vote Reform.

"That is the only way to get a strong local member of Parliament, and to get change in Westminster is not to allow Andy Burnham to have a free pass to No10."

Pressed by host Charlie Peters on Kemi Badenoch's remarks the Tories will not stand aside for Reform UK in the election, Mr Jenrick said it "wouldn't make a difference" whether they stood a candidate or not.

He said: "You saw in Gorton and Denton that the Tory party lost their deposit, I'm sure that will happen again in this by-election as well in vast swathes of the country.

"The Conservative Party today are irrelevant, as you saw in the local elections the other day. They've basically become a regional pressure group for places like Kensington, and I'm sure very, very few people will be voting for them in Makerfield either, so that's not important."

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Mr Jenrick argued Labour has "let down" the community in Makerfield following Josh Simons's decision to step down.

He commented: "What is important is for people in Makerfield to make the choice. Labour have let down your community, to get rid of Labour, the way to achieve that is to vote for Reform.

"We're going to throw everything at this, we want to win. We want Makerfield to be well represented not by someone who's just taking the local people for granted."

Looking at the state of the Labour Government, Mr Jenrick said no matter who is in charge, it will be the "same failed approach".

He said: "The Labor Party is riven with divisions. It is the same people, the same backbenchers, who are going to make life difficult for Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband, whichever non-entity ends up as our next Prime Minister.

"Are they going to stop the boats? No. Are they going to tackle illegal migration? No. They're probably going to ditch the current Home Secretary, as Angela Rayner has said that she wants to do.

"Are they going to get people off welfare who are choosing to be out of work and help alarm clock Britain? No, of course they're not going to.

"We hear that Ed Miliband wants to be Andy Burnham's Chancellor, it's going to be the same failed approach. That is why you've got to get rid of Labour."

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