𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Burnham, who has served as mayor of the region since 2017, has argued for a Westminster revamp and recently hit out at the current system of governing. Now, in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, the mayor has teased whether he will return to politics.

When asked if he would go back to Westminster to run as Prime Minister, he said: “Oh, doesn’t it show that I love being Mayor of Greater Manchester? I think it does, I hope it does.

“Honestly, I’ve loved it, it’s almost 10 years I’ve been doing this job now, and it’s been a bit like coming home for me. I was in Westminster for a long time, I tried my best there and I’ve always been at home here.

“And when you feel at home, you give your best, don’t you?” It was at this point that he speculated that there had been a big change in politics in recent years.

He explained: “I actually think that the energy in politics is kind of almost more here now and a bit less in Westminster. I love everything we’re doing here, and it’s actually what I came into politics to do, to see this part of the world have things like this.”

On February 28, for the first time in its history, the prestigious music awards will move out of London, a change that Burnham has “waited all his life for”. He gushed: “It’s massive for Manchester, I’ve been for years hoping that this day would come.

“I was the Culture Secretary a long time ago, and I said to them, ‘Come on, when are you coming to Manchester?’ I think it’s a reflection of how far the city has come that this actually is happening because we’ve got loads of infrastructure, hotels, everything. It’s a big sign that Manchester is massively right up there now.

“I personally feel that music started the revival of Manchester because I was growing up here in the ‘80s in my teenage years, and in the decades since, it’s been amazing to see the city thrive. But we’re not finished yet by any means.”