Greater Manchester mayor calls parliament ‘poisonous’, says northerners ‘face discrimination’ in London

Northerners “face discrimination” in London, according to Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. Having left the Commons for his role as a regional mayor in 2017, he also claimed that Westminster was “deeply dysfunctional” and “poisonous”.

In an interview for the August edition of GQ magazine, Burnham said: “I feel that northerners face discrimination in certain walks of life in London.

“How many Labour prime ministers have come from the north of England?

Harold Wilson, from Huddersfield, was the only Labour prime minister born in northern England.

Parliament “deeply dysfunctional” and “poisonous”

Burnham also said Westminster had become “a living nightmare” and suggested the rise of social media was partly to blame.

“The place is antiquated. And basically dysfunctional,” he said.

“Social media changed everything. Before, it managed to run on, like an old clock.

“With social media in parliament, you can’t make sense of it any more.  It can’t agree about anything. It can’t do anything.”

He added: “It’s a bizarre place, with a deeply dysfunctional atmosphere. I don’t miss it in the slightest. It’s just poisonous now.”

‘A moderate Brexit deal needed’

The Greater Manchester mayor said: “As difficult as it is, I think the public interest still lies in doing a moderate Brexit deal.

“Anything else risks divisions that will last for generations.”

The full interview can be seen in the August edition of British GQ, out on July 5.