Andy Burnham promises Greater Manchester will be a 'beacon of social justice' at fundraising dinner

Andy Burnham fundraising dinner

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Andy Burnham was guest of honour at a fundraising dinner held at Manchester Golf Club, Middleton on Saturday night.

A packed audience heard Mr Burnham speak about his Greater Manchester Mayoral campaign and the radical changes he intends to make if he is elected.

Also speaking at the event were Shadow Secretary of State for Education Angela Raynor, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, and Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton & Reddish and Mr Burnham’s campaign manager.

Introducing the guest speakers was Dr Kailash Chand OBE, deputy chairman, and the new vice president, of the British Medical Association (BMA).

The evening was organised and co-hosted by Castleton councillor, Aasim Rashid and Milkstone and Deeplish councillor, Allen Brett.

Speaking first, Angela Rayner explained she had left school with no qualifications, had a child aged just 16 and became a care worker in the private sector. She went onto to become a union representative having moved into the public sector working for Stockport Council.

She said: “I was inspired into politics by Andy Burnham.”

Andrew Gwynne talked about the real opportunity devolution has given to Greater Manchester. He said it is crucial that a Labour Mayor, Andy Burnham, is elected in order to show the people of Greater Manchester that Labour can make a difference to the people it seeks to represent.

He added: “Andy Burnham has the experience, the passion and the desire to be Greater Manchester Mayor. He has a vision for Greater Manchester and its 10 boroughs. Andy will be a Mayor for all the boroughs in this great city region.”

Mr Burnham, fresh from launching his manifesto last week, talked of the “dysfunctional political system” in this country. He railed against the unelected House of Lords making laws. Referring to the “elite”, he said: “They have no idea what life is like for people in Greater Manchester.”

He said policies such as the right to buy council housing, which had caused a severe shortage of social housing, and a failure to support manufacturing had left people behind.

He added: “It is no wonder people feel alienated, and when people feel that way it allows extremist parties to flourish and divides people from one another.”

Reinforcing the promises made in his manifesto he promised if elected to give free bus passes to all 16 to 18-year-olds., and to bring communities together and give people hope again.

He said: “ Labour is the politics of hope, not hate”.

To pay for the bus passes he will re-regulate buses and use the profits currently hived off to the private sector, who cherry pick the most profitable routes.

He also promised a crackdown on absent landlords and a revolution in social care.

Medical graduates would have their tuition fees paid off if they commit to working for the NHS in Greater Manchester for five years after graduation.

Mental health services would be bolstered, the young no longer left to suffer. Rough sleeping he said would be eliminated by 2020. He said: “No one who doesn’t want to will be left to sleep rough on the streets.

"I'm also going to donate 15% of my mayoral salary, if elected, towards this with a new fund for the homeless."

He added: “Rochdale has recently agreed to free young people leaving care from liability for council tax until they are 21. We will work with our councils to see if this policy can be made standard across Greater Manchester."

Mr Burnham said he was proud to be in the birthplace of the Co-Op and concluded by revealing he is going to be the “Labour and Co-operative candidate” in the Mayoral election.

He said he wants power to be given back to the “people Westminster has left behind”.

To a rousing ovation he ended saying: “I want Greater Manchester to be a beacon of social justice. Greater Manchester has changed the world before, together we can do it again.”