Andy Burnham wins Greater Manchester mayoral nomination
Posted 09 August 2016 - 13:56
Former health secretary Andy Burnham has been selected as Labour’s candidate for mayor of Greater Manchester, it was announced today.
In the weeks building up to the decision, the MP for Leigh unveiled plans to retain nursing student bursaries if he is elected mayor next year.
In July, the government confirmed nursing student bursaries in England will be replaced in August 2017 by tuition fees and loans.
Mr Burnham said the Greater Manchester Nursing Bursary will be funded by savings made by reducing agency nurse spend – with eligibility dependent on agreeing to work in the NHS locally for 5 years.
Nursing apprenticeship scheme
Mr Burnham’s 3,792 votes were more than enough to propel him to victory over his rivals, the incumbent mayor Tony Lloyd, who received 2,163 votes, and Ivan Lewis who took 1,472.
Voter turnout was 65%.
In a letter, Mr Burnham has also pledged to create a new fast-track nursing apprenticeship scheme available to young people working as healthcare assistants in Manchester's social care sector.
He will now step down from his shadow home secretary post in Jeremy Corbyn’s cabinet to focus on campaigning ahead of the election on 4 May 2017.