Andy Burnham has ruled out the prospect of an early general election, insisting the public wants the Government to focus on delivering its promises rather than returning to the polls. Speaking during an interview with Laura Kuenssberg, Burnham dismissed speculation that voters could be asked to head back to the ballot box before the end of the current Parliament. “I’m going to rule it out… I don’t think people want it,” he said. Burnham argued that the Government had been elected on a manifesto endorsed by the majority of voters and said his priority was to respect that democratic mandate. “The majority of people voted for a manifesto,” he said, adding that he intended to “honour” the commitments made during the election campaign.
Focus on Recovery
Rather than preparing for another national vote, Burnham said his attention was firmly on improving the country’s fortunes. “I just think what I most need to do is get Britain focused on getting the country back,” he said. His comments are likely to ease speculation over the possibility of an early general election, signalling that his priority is delivering on the Government’s programme before asking voters to return to the ballot box. The remarks come amid continued political debate over the pace of economic recovery and the Government’s plans for the remainder of its term in office.
Originally published by UKNIP.
