Burnham puts front benches on the back-burner
Leigh MP Andy Burnham announces he's stepping out of the shadow cabinet to focus on the elections to be Mayor
The Leigh MP Andy Burnham has announced he is leaving Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet to focus on his bid to become Greater Manchester's mayor.
The shadow home secretary said he had asked the Labour leader to plan a new shadow cabinet without me''.
In his speech at the Labour conference in Liverpool, Mr Burnham said he had given my all'' to the party and hadalways put its interests above those of factions and personalities''.
The former leadership contender is hoping to be elected as the new mayor for Greater Manchester in 2017.
He said: This is my 10th conference speaking to you as a cabinet or shadow cabinet minister. And it will be my last.
It is time for me to turn my full focus to Greater Manchester. That's why I can tell you all first today that I have asked Jeremy to plan a new shadow cabinet without me, although I will of course stay until it is in place.
I have given my all to this party and always put its interests above those of factions and personalities. And I have given exactly the same loyalty to all four of the Labour leaders I have served.
Out there, there's a demand for big changes in the way this country is run. This party should be the voice for that change. So that's why I am ready to leave Westminster.
It's time to make a change, to challenge the status quo from the outside. It's time to get the voice of the North heard like it has never been heard before.''
PL