Lee Anderson has launched a scathing attack on “smug” Andy Burnham after confirming his bid to run in the Makerfield by-election.
Speaking to GB News, the Reform UK MP hit out at the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s move and declared “we’re not scared of you”.
Mr Burnham confirmed his by-election bid after ex-minister Josh Simons cleared a path for him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.
Delivering his blunt verdict on Mr Burnham’s bid, Mr Anderson told GB News Labour appears to have “given up” on the Red Wall.
Mr Anderson said: “We saw last week how much ground Reform made up in these red wall areas.
“On the back of the letter that Wes sent in today to the Prime Minister, calling Reform voters far-right English nationalists, having a real pop at our voters in these red wall areas, it seems that the Labour Party have given up on the red wall. They want to give it away.”
The Reform MP took aim at Mr Burnham, branding him “smug” for choosing to stand in the Makerfield by-election.
He declared: “This will be a real challenge for the Labour Party, and I think it’s a bit smug of Andy Burnham to be thinking he can just waltz into this seat and win it and become the Prime Minister of our great country.
Lee Anderson has hit out at ‘smug’ Andy Burnham as he prepares to stand in Makerfield by-election
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GB NEWS / PA
“I think he’s in for a rude awakening when he’s at the count on the night in Makerfield.”
Casting doubt over the future of the Labour Government, Mr Anderson argued whoever becomes the next leader will “lose the next general election” anyway.
He told the People’s Channel: “To be honest, I don’t think Andy Burnham was the one that’s going to save the Labour Party. I think whoever comes in as leader, they’re going to lose the next election anyway.
“I’m fully confident, on the back of the results last week in that neck of the woods, we were winning in some areas every single council seat. So I say bring it on to Andy Burnham, we can win there.”
Ex-minister Josh Simons has cleared a path for Andy Burnham to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership
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UK PARLIAMENT
He continued: “I think we can win, we can put a real good show up. We’ll be campaigning ferociously, I’ll be up there every single week now to campaign on behalf of whichever candidate we choose.
“We’ve got a real chance, and forget about Andy Burnham, this us against Labour.”
Pressed by Martin on who the Reform candidate could be in the Makerfield by-election, Mr Anderson said there are “loads of people” in Reform who want to stand.
He revealed: “We’ve got loads of people that want to stand, some really good people, some professional people, people from normal working class backgrounds as well.
Mr Anderson told GB News Andy Burnham is ‘smug’ to think he can ‘waltz into Downing Street’
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GB NEWS
“Last week, 3.8 million people voted for us in the council elections, we had 4.1 million vote for us at the general election, so look how far we’ve come.”
Asked by Martin what his message to Mr Burnham would be on behalf of Reform, Mr Anderson concluded he and his party are “not scared” of the Manchester mayor.
He said: “It’s up to the local association as well, you can’t just waltz into an association and demand a seat, it’s up to them.
“We’re not scared of you, Andy.”