Mayoral candidate Andy Burnham welcomes plan to include North in Brexit negotiations as he visits Bolton

GREATER Manchester Mayoral candidate Andy Burnham has welcomed a plan to give the north a greater say in Brexit negotiations — as he visits Bolton today.

The Leigh MP said he was ‘surprised but pleased’ to hear the Government’s Brexit secretary David Davies announce that he will convene a meeting of all Mayors of the North on the negotiations after May’s landmark elections.

Mr Burnham is hoping to become the first ever Greater Manchester Mayor after securing the Labour nomination for the vote last year.

He will be in Bolton today for the first of several policy development conferences across the conurbation, in which he intends to work towards creating a ‘safe, inclusive and diverse Greater Manchester.’

Following Prime Minister Theresa May’s speech in Parliament this week, in which she laid out her plan for the Brexit negotiations, Mr Burnham complained of a London-centric right-wing approach to leaving the European Union.

He told the house that Ms May’s speech had contained no mention of English regions and challenged David Davis to create a Brexit committee of the nations and regions.

In his reply, the Brexit Secretary made an unexpected announcement that he will convene a meeting of all Mayors of the North on the Government’s Brexit negotiations after May’s elections.

Mr Burnham said: “I am surprised but pleased to hear this commitment. The regions cannot be shut out of this any longer.

“I support reform of freedom of movement, but in a way that does least damage to the economy and in particular the regional economy.

“The Prime Minister’s speech made specific mention of protecting the interests of Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast and the City of London. But there was no mention at all of the North West of England, Greater Manchester or any English region.

“Rather than leaving these crucial decision to a London-centric right-wing clique around the Prime Minister, it is time to open up the debate, give Greater Manchester a voice in it and establish a Brexit committee of the nations and regions.”

Mr Burnham will be at Bolton Town Hall until 1pm today for the Our Manifesto event, which he says will help to shape his proposals for his Mayoral campaign.

The Greater Manchester Mayoral elections will take place on Thursday May 4 and see Mr Burnham face off fellow candidates Sean Anstee (Conservative), Jane Brophy (Liberal Democrats), Stephen Morris (English Democrat), Shneur Odze (UKIP).