Andy Burnham has resigned as the mayor of Greater Manchester following his victory in the Makerfield by-election, which secures him a seat in Westminster. His departure from the mayoral role, which he held for nine years, marks a significant shift for the region's leadership and necessitates the selection of a new mayor.
Burnham's tenure as mayor saw him wielding considerable influence over a range of regional responsibilities. The role encompasses chairing a cabinet of borough leaders and incorporating the duties of the police and crime commissioner and fire service management. This position also involves setting policing budgets and influencing the conduct of the police force, a responsibility that precludes MPs from holding the mayoral office due to potential conflicts of interest in lawmaking.
Furthermore, the mayoralty includes setting transport budgets and sharing responsibility for a substantial health and social care budget, estimated at £6 billion. Burnham's office has also been involved in the leadership of local NHS services and has controlled the post-19 adult education budget. During his time as mayor, he introduced free travel for 16 to 19-year-olds and a half-price pass for 18 to 21-year-olds. He also took control of the region's bus network under the integrated Bee Network brand, with plans to integrate all local rail services into the network by 2030.
In his victory speech, Burnham expressed that achieving the full potential of Greater Manchester and closing the north-south divide requires significant national-level changes. He stated that his achievements as mayor could not have been fully realized without these broader national reforms. Burnham indicated his intention to launch a leadership challenge to Sir Keir Starmer once he assumes his position in Parliament. He described his departure from the mayoral role with "some sadness" but affirmed he is "not leaving the service of Greater Manchester."