Andy Burnham eyes PM bid using Manchester's record as a national blueprint

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is positioning himself as a potential challenger to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with his record of local governance, dubbed "Manchesterism”, as his central pitch. Employment growth in Greater Manchester has outpaced the rest of the UK, and the publicly controlled Bee Network bus service is widely cited as a flagship success. Critics, however, warn that growth remains concentrated in the city centre, leaving surrounding areas such as Wigan behind, where Reform UK has made inroads among working-class voters. Scaling the model nationally also faces scrutiny, with the UK carrying £3.7 trillion in debt and a sluggish economy.

Al Jazeera's Frances Read reports from Manchester.

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