Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has voiced support for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to return to Westminster, just days before the Makerfield by-election. In interviews on Sunday, Nandy praised Burnham’s focus on working-class issues but cautioned against Labour becoming distracted by leadership speculation.
Speaking on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Nandy was asked whether she would prefer Burnham or Sir Keir Starmer to lead Labour. She said: “It’s well documented I am good friends with Andy Burnham and the things that he is saying in Makerfield … is very similar to what I’ve been saying over the last seventeen years … but I don’t think the public is in the mood for a lot of Labour introspection.”
On Sky News, Nandy explicitly backed Burnham’s arguments on welfare and defence, stating: “Yes, I do, because I think we’ve got a situation now where far too many people who want to be in work … aren’t, and that particularly includes young people.” She also expressed hope that Burnham would return to Westminster “to help us bring the issues that matter to people right up front and centre.”
Nandy criticised Reform UK leader Nigel Farage for describing Britain as a “two-tier state,” saying he “should take his nasty hate and anger and division somewhere else frankly.”
Her comments come as Labour makes its final push ahead of the Makerfield by-election on Thursday. Nandy stressed the importance of winning the contest, noting it is “not a given.”
