Andy Burnham has been announced as the Labour candidate to be Greater Manchester’s first directly elected Mayor at the election taking place on Thursday 4th May 2017.
Labour Leader of Stockport Council Alex Ganotis said ‘I’d like to warmly congratulate Andy on being selected by thousands of Labour members to be our party’s candidate for GM Mayor at the election in May next year.
‘I know progressive values run through everything Andy does, and have no doubt that he will be an incredible ambassador on the national and international stage for Greater Manchester and will work to unlock the massive potential our region has.
‘I look forward to working with Andy who has shown that he has the right blend of experience, passion and ideas to ensure our first elected Mayor has the profile which local people want and deserve.’
Andy Burnham is currently Shadow Home Secretary and has been the MP for Leigh since 2001.
He won the contest on the first ballot, attracting 3,792 votes from Labour Party members across the Region, over 52% of the total cast. Turnout was 65.3%.
Councillor Ganotis added ‘There will be some enormous challenges in the in-tray for the new Mayor and I think it’s vital that we elect a person with a proven track record of dedicated public service and the ability to get things done.
‘Whoever becomes the new GM Mayor will be responsible for a region with an economy bigger than that of either Wales or Northern Ireland and for a population of over 2.7 million people. That’s a responsibility which shouldn’t be taken lightly.
‘For Greater Manchester to attract the jobs and inward investment which we all want to see, and to deliver public service reform at a time when Government is imposing unprecedented cuts on our 10 Councils, we need a dynamic and well-tested Mayor.
‘I’m convinced that Andy fits the bill, and I look forward to welcoming him to Stockport in the very near future and discussing with him our ambitious local plans and how they align with his vision for the future of our region.’
Greater Manchester will have a directly elected Mayor as part of the 2014 Devolution Agreement, a move which will bring decision-making over how billions of pounds of public money is spent in the region closer to the local communities affected.
The Mayor will have wide-ranging responsibility, overseeing policies on transport, health and social care, housing, policing, and fire and rescue services.