Burnham beats Ivan Lewis to Manchester mayoral candidacy
The Jewish MP for Bury South came a distant third in the fight to represent Labour in the northern city's election
Andy Burnham overcame a challenge from Jewish Labour MP Ivan Lewis, to be Labour candidate for the mayor of Greater Manchester.
The MP for Bury South came third in the contest, behind interim mayor Tony Lloyd, and shadow home secretary Burnham.
Mr Burnham won with 3,792 votes to Lloyd’s 2,163 and Lewis’s 1,472, on a turnout of 65.3%; and he will now stand to be Greater Manchester’s first elected mayor.
Burnham said: “I thank our members for the faith they have shown in me”, adding that he will “repay it by devoting all my energy to uniting the Labour family here, working to win back the voters we have lost and building a policy programme with broad appeal.”
He also distanced himself from there national Labour leadership race between Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith. Speaking during a question-and-answer session with the media, Mr Burnham reiterated his belief that now is not the “right time for a leadership election” as he committed to remaining neutral during the fight between Mr Corbyn and Owen Smith.
Ivan Lewis met with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in May, during which he called on him to ‘tackle anti-Semitism’ in the party. He said: “I made it clear that while the vast majority of Labour members are not anti-Semitic there is a serious problem amongst a minority which has to be tackled decisively,” said Lewis after the meeting. “I am hopeful robust action will follow.”
Fellow Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger is standing to be Liverpool Metro Mayor.
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