Andy Burnham has responded to selected questions from the public in an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit on Friday.<\/p>\n
He said he would not call a general election if he becomes prime minister, but revealed he will try to persuade Labour to put electoral reform in its next manifesto. <\/p>\n
The Makerfield MP is considered the prime minister-in-waiting as the only Labour<\/a> politician to have put themselves forward to replace Sir Keir Starmer as party leader.<\/p>\n It is the first time the former Greater Manchester <\/a>Mayor faced questions from the public since his by-election win.<\/p>\n For someone who could be in No 10 on 20 July, Burnham has received little scrutiny<\/a> over his policy platform.<\/p>\n He refused to take questions from journalists<\/a> following his one major speech of the leadership campaign so far and has given only one interview, on Thursday evening with LBC.<\/p>\n Reddit’s “Ask me anything” sessions are a popular tool used by celebrities and politicians to reach younger audiences, in which they reply to questions left by commenters with written answers.<\/p>\n The questions ranged from his stance on the triple-lock for pensioners, Britain’s relationship with Europe, student loan repayments and electoral reform.<\/p>\n His responses on Reddit gave some insight into how he might lead the country from behind the door of Downing Street.<\/p>\n Burnham was also questioned about his lack of media interviews by the conservative leader Kemi Badenoch who accused him of \u201crunning away\u201d from media scrutiny.<\/p>\n The opposition leader wrote in an online Reddit forum: \u201cHi Andy, Kemi here.<\/p>\n \u201cWhilst you\u2019re answering softball questions on Reddit, I\u2019ve been in Yorkshire answering questions from the press.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to be prime minister soon so it\u2019s time to start acting like one.<\/p>\n \u201cCome out from hiding, face a proper press conference and submit yourself to scrutiny and some tough questions.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you up for it?\u201d<\/p>\n Burnham responded: \u201cFair challenge, Kemi \u2013 but don\u2019t forget it\u2019s only two weeks since I faced questions from 74,000 members of the public in Makerfield!\u201d<\/p>\n Burnham delivers a speech in Manchester to pledge to give Britain the “circuit-breaker it needs” whilst unveiling his plans for devolution. Credit: PA<\/p>\n One user asked the MP: \u201cI assume you\u2019re going to call an election? If not, why not?\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Burnham replied: \u201cNo. As I said in my speech on Monday, I\u2019m going to work to the 2024 manifesto.\u201d<\/p>\n But one of the most frequently asked questions was on the widely debated issue of the triple lock.<\/p>\n Reddit user Masam10 asked: \u201cIs it time to abolish the triple lock? Or at least have that discussion?\u201d<\/p>\n The Makerfield MP replied: \u201cI appreciate there\u2019s a lot of debate about this, but it is important that the commitment in the manifesto stands.\u201d<\/p>\n Labour\u2019s manifesto commitment to the triple lock protects the rate at which the state pension rises.<\/p>\n Burnham was also asked by a Reddit user what his stance was on electoral reform.<\/p>\n He answered: \u201cI am a strong supporter of electoral reform, partly because I believe it will enable the change to a more collaborative politics, and one that is less about point-scoring and more about problem-solving.”<\/p>\n The soon-to-be leader of the Labour Party added that he will try to persuade his party to campaign for electoral reform at the next general election.<\/p>\n He has previously expressed support for replacing Britain\u2019s first-past-the-post system with a form of proportional representation.<\/p>\n Labour\u2019s party conference voted to support moving towards a proportional representation voting system in 2022.<\/p>\n The party\u2019s 2024 manifesto instead focused its electoral and constitutional changes on extending voting to 16 and 17-year-olds and House of Lords reform.<\/p>\n Subscribe for free to our weekly newsletter<\/a> for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. <\/p>\n