𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Mr Burnham, who has been a vocal critic of the PM, said the crunch ballot, which was won by the Greens, “revealed the full depth of the chasm between people and Westminster politics”. He added that his plan to “head South” is “currently on hold” in an apparent hint at his future ambitions.

The Labour politician, who left the Commons in 2017, made the comments at an event hosted by the Centre for Cities think tank in central London.

He told the audience: “From my point of view, I’m definitely not here to talk about my career plans, other than to say I wrote a book as you might know, with the mayor of the Liverpool City region Steve Rotheram, about leaving Westminster and establishing devolution across England.

“It’s called Head North. All I can say today is that the sequel Head South is currently on hold.”

He added: “What I want to say today is that the time has most definitely come for a serious conversation about our political system and its pervading culture, particularly so in the aftermath of the Gorton and Denton by-election.

“It revealed the full depth of the chasm between people and Westminster politics. I don’t think anybody can seriously dispute that statement.”

Pressed why he was considering a return to Westminster given his criticisms, he replied: “I don’t think Greater Manchester’s full ambitions are achievable with the political system staying as it is. There is, in my view, a bias against the North of England.

“I saw it with my own eyes in Westminster. Therefore I just don’t think in the rest of this century it (Manchester) will be everything I believe it can be with that culture still pervading, where we are always begging for things and having to constantly lobby for everything.”

Mr Burnham was snubbed by the Labour Party’s ruling body as its candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election amid fears a Westminster return would see him move to oust the embattled Prime Minister.

The Greens went on to win a decisive victory in the Greater Manchester constituency, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in second place and Labour a distant third.