Andy Burnham PM

Across Greater Manchester, many tuned in to the news on Monday to witness a historic moment.

For some, it was a moment of pride, for others one of scepticism, as they watched footage of Andy Burnham outside Number 10. 
“I don’t normally watch the news but when I heard it was him, I did put it on,”  Anne Foster, a pensioner running errands in Ashton-Under-Lyne said.
“It is weird to think he was just round the corner a few weeks ago, coming to places like this – and now he’s our Prime Minister,” Eccles local Sammy, 53, added. 

In less than a month, Mr Burnham has gone from Greater Manchester mayor to leader of the country. After waving goodbye to former PM Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Burnham wasted no time in putting together one of the most northern cabinets in history. 

We spoke to residents across Greater Manchester to see what they thought of the new PM.

For many, Mr Burnham’s meteoric rise and northern roots has prompted cautious optimism. But that doesn’t mean the people of Greater Manchester are prepared to give their former mayor an easy ride. 

“I want him to give us something to be excited about,” Chelsea Daniels, 25, (pictured below, right) said on on St Peter’s Square. “Because nothing does at the moment, everything feels s**t.”

Chelsea isn’t alone. From cost of living to the dying high streets, residents urgently want to see their quality of life improve, and reverse some of the deterioration they’ve seen in recent years. 

“This place used to be thriving,” said Salford pensioner Barbara, 66, gesturing to the Eccles shopping precinct around her, where boarded up shop fronts are increasingly taking over the high street. “Now look at it. There’s places like this all over the country.” 

Despite being hopeful, Barbara said she ‘wasn’t impressed’ by all the fanfare around Westminster. “Let’s see if they’re all clapping and cheering in a year,” she added.

Similarly, Stuart Frost, 64, from Tyldesley felt ‘actions speak louder than words’. “I’m pleased that someone rooted in the north west is in the job, he knows these areas have been left behind,” the fire station cleaner said.

“I’d like to see more shops on the high street. And not the dubious kinds – I’m thinking vape shops and all these barbers. Let’s see more quality businesses.”

Mr Burnham is making moves to address some of these issues. This week he announced he’d be cutting business tax on hospitality, as well as VAT on electricity bills. 

Many have welcomed the gesture to reduce business and household costs as bills continue to eat into families’ wages – but there are doubts. 
Darren Lowe spoke in the Stockport Underbanks, saying he was ‘optimistic’ about the change. 

“He’s started off well focusing on the things that are maybe more important than Digital ID,” he said. 

Darren said he thought the VAT cut on electricity was ‘a little bit short’, adding: “It’s not much in this economy. If you took VAT off gas or they also abolished standing charges, that would have a bit more of an impact.”

Ray, a pensioner in Failsworth, said the cut would barely affect him as his heating is gas – currently costing him and his partner Anne around £450 a month. 

“I think he should target it more. I don’t think doing blanket policies work well. I also feel like as a pensioner, we’re bottom of the pile,” he said.
“We’re lucky to both have private pensions, but if I was relying on a state pension, I wouldn’t even be able to afford my heating bill.”

It’s been rumoured Mr Burnham was considering allowing further drilling in the north sea. Billed as another possible way to bring down energy prices – though the oil would be sold by private firms on the international market – it’s an idea that’s raised the hackles of many young people. 

Elise Braid, 25, in central Manchester said: “I think young people might not like him for that . The last thing we need is climate change to get worse.”
There are those who doubt Burnham’s credentials. 

Whitefield retiree, and volunteer at Bury Hospice, Pat Lomas said she did not think Mr Burnham had ‘enough experience’.

The 81-year-old added: “He might have run Manchester, but he’s not run a country and it’s happened in such a short space of time.”

Steve Royle, from Wilmslow, said: “The jury is out. He is a socialist that is bordering on communist. He is totally Labour. He will go in spend, spend, spend, and then blame the black holes on someone else.”

For Steve, one of the big issues is immigration, something he believes Mr Burnham is shying away from by not mentioning it in his first week as PM. But taking the temperature across the region, it’s clear the new Prime Minister has got his work cut out for him if he is aiming to please everybody. 
Success has lived in Eccles for four years and works in Bury as a healthcare provider. 
“Immigrants like myself contribute so much to this country. I work in health, pay plenty of taxes, there’s no one else volunteering to do the jobs we do,” she said.

The 46-year-old is worried about Mr Burnham’s decision to keep Shabana Mahmood as home secretary because of her plans to extend how long immigrants have to wait before they can apply for settled status. 

She said: “I’m here on a skilled worker’s visa, you’re fully reliant on a company to sponsor you for the whole period. It’s a lot of instability, because they have control over your fate. Why can’t they just keep it at five years but say we have no recourse to benefits? We don’t need that.” 

There were other demands: more apprenticeships for young people, tougher sanctions on crime, more power for local people. 
On balance, people across the region were positive about Mr Burnham’s rise. 

“He’s a real northerner,” said Sammy with a look of real pride. He spoke alongside his mum Cynthia, 73. “He knows what it’s like round here, and what needs to be done. I think he’ll do a good job.” 

Whitefield resident Alan Hoey, 54, (pictured below) who runs two companies, added Mr Burnham ‘seemed to have his heart in the north’ and hoped he would be able to ‘bring a bit of power’ to northern communities. He continued: “A lot of his promises seem quite good. To end homelessness, for example. It’s a big task, but he did quite well in Manchester.”

But for every one person who spoke to us, several more said they were ‘withholding judgment’ until they could see the impact of Mr Burnham’s policymaking on the country. 

“You’ve got what you wanted now, Andy Burnham,” said Jeff Rayner, 51, who works in Bolton and lives in Ashton-under-Lyne. “You’ve got the power. Now keep your promises and give back to the people.”