Back in February, American media giant Bloomberg ran a deep-dive report with a headline declaring: “Andy Burnham’s Manchester is Booming”.
It was one of several glowing write-ups hailing the city’s recent economic performance and Burnham’s role as mayor in achieving it.
Perfect timing, some might say, as Sir Keir Starmer’s stock has fallen and the Labour party now finds itself desperately searching for a new direction in the wake of catastrophic local election results.
Many MPs believe Burnham – who earned the nickname ‘King of the North’ for his fightback against Tory government restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic – is the answer.
Towering skyscrapers and an expanding tram network are visible signs of Manchester’s economic gains (Photo: Getty Images)
