Mayor sure he can work with Starmer as PM

ANDY Burnham said Sir Keir Starmer will not 'bulldoze' local government if he wins the General Election, after telling a Glastonbury crowd he will continue to 'assert' Manchester's devolved status.

- EDD DRACOTT

The Labour Mayor of Manchester was speaking at Worthy Farm's Speakers Forum about the 'crisis of council funding' with Guardian journalist and podcaster John Harris, where he arrived wearing a green bucket hat sporting the words 'Salford Lads Club, inspired by an album from The Smiths.

He told the audience of about 100 people to vote for 'change' and that he has seen promising signs there will be 'improved' devolution if Sir Keir Starmer wins next week's election.

"I think it will change if Labour get in, it will improve, but it won't stop being very difficult," Mr Burnham told the crowd.

"We're going to continue to assert our devolved status."