Lee Anderson slams ‘smug’ Andy Burnham as Reform flexes its muscles | Politics | News
Lee Anderson (right) says Makerfield needs a good constituency MP (Image: Getty Archive)
Lee Anderson said Andy Burnham he is “smug” and if he becomes prime minister the people at Makerfield “will never see him”. The Reform UK MP verbally attacked the Mayor of Greater Manchester during a visit to his constituency with a group of activists on Saturday (May 16).
“We will win at Makerfield,” Mr Anderson said in a video shared on social media by former Tory MP Marco Longhi. Asked about UK Reformation“We have a real chance here, Marco. This is one of the most historic byelections ever and we’re going to throw the kitchen sink at it,” Mr. Anderson said.
On Mr Burnham, the Ashfield MP agreed with Mr Longhi that the mayor was “a bit right”, adding: “He’s arrogant. He’s walking around expecting the people of Makerfield to vote just for him. You know? If he were Prime Minister they’d never see him, would they?”
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He said Makerfield wanted a “good” constituency MP and that was what they deserved.
Mr Burnham is predicted to be chosen as the Labor Party candidate in the by-election. So far Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee, has only given Mr Burnham permission to take part in the selection process.
The mayor of Greater Manchester is seeking to replace Josh Simons, who quit as MP to make way for Mr Burnham to return to Parliament.
Applications close on Monday, May 18, and the NEC will approve the candidate on Thursday. June 18 is thought to be the earliest date on which by-elections can be held. Candidate selection processes for Reform England and the Greens are currently underway.
If successfully elected, Mr Burnham is expected to challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership.
While Makerfield is usually a safe haven for Labour, this time the party expects a tough challenge from Reform UK. Mr Simons secured a majority of just 5,399 against Nigel Farage’s party in the 2024 general election.
Since then the collapse of Labour’s polls and the rise of Reform have seen their fortunes reverse.
But Mr Burnham can benefit from his strong personal following in the North West, where he has a net favorability rating of 24%, according to pollster Ipsos. This is much higher than that of any party leader or the Labor Party itself.
A Survation forecast with Mr Burnham as a candidate says Labor is more likely to win than Reform England, but without him Mr Farage’s party is likely to take the seat.
Mr Burnham was keen to downplay any leadership ambitions, telling Channel 4 on Saturday he was focused on winning a seat in Parliament rather than unseating Sir Keir.
He said: “That’s not the issue. It’s winning. From what I’ve said, winning the byelection, you know, it’s not necessarily about the next thing.”
The Mayor of Manchester said he has spent his entire career fighting for people in the North West, adding: “As mayor I have taken this fight to another level and yes, I will continue to take this fight to the highest level.”
He said a “major moment of change” was needed in British politics following tough elections for Labor in England, Scotland and Wales.
Elsewhere, Mr Burnham told the BBC he wanted to stand in the Makerfield by-election to “save” Labor.
