Constituents in Makerfield have told Good Morning Britain they want Prime Minister Andy Burnham to focus on the cost of living rather than reopening the Brexit argument.
During Tuesday's programme, hosts Richard Madeley and Ranvir Singh handed over to correspondent Ashna Hurynag, who was reporting from the constituency. She noted that the previous day, following Burnham's appearance on the show, Number 10 had a busy afternoon clarifying his comments about rejoining the EU.
“They were forced to say that was the Prime Minister's personal view, and not the view of the government,” Hurynag explained.
Constituents' concerns
Hurynag highlighted that at the by-election in Makerfield, Burnham referenced not re-running old arguments about the EU. She pointed out that in a constituency that voted for him, 65% of voters had voted to leave the EU ten years ago.
Speaking with local residents, Hurynag found that constituents do not want to “go over old ground” and would prefer the PM to address the cost of living. One constituent said they would rather be helped with “wage rises,” adding, “The cost of living is miles too much.”
Another constituent told the ITV journalist, “The important thing for me is that we make sure the people who can't afford to eat and heat are able to afford it. So, we've got to have a look at what we can do for them.”
PM's EU comments
The report came 24 hours after Burnham joined Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley for an exclusive interview on Monday. Asked if he would like to see the UK rejoin the EU, the PM responded: “In my lifetime I would like to see that happen, but I am not going to move ahead of the public; I am not going to dictate.”
He added, “We have a decade of experience now looking back at Brexit. I don't think it has played out as people said it would at the time. We got a harder Brexit. It has weakened our economy.”
Burnham also said, “I am not proposing rejoining in this Parliament. I said we wouldn't re-run the referendum. That's not what I'm doing. The British public will be the bosses here.”
Hurynag noted that Burnham is announcing “everyday fixes” to help the public, including a higher tax-free mileage allowance, expanding eligibility for parental pay, and removing import tariffs on select food items. The Chancellor is preparing to set out the Budget tomorrow.
