ANDY Burnham has vowed that his campaign to run for mayor of Greater Manchester will not take his focus away from making improvements to Leigh.

The Leigh MP and shadow home secretary confirmed that he will be a Labour candidate for the new role in a keynote speech at The Lowry theatre in Salford last Thursday.

He would have to give up his role as MP for Leigh, which he has held for 15 years, should he be successful in his bid to become the first mayor of Greater Manchester and take on one of the biggest jobs in local government.

But he says that his plans to make Greater Manchester ‘a beacon of social justice in this country and to Europe and the world' would benefit the people of Leigh and he has no intention of ever turning his back on the town.

In an exclusive interview with the Journal, Mr Burnham said: “My decision to run for mayor of Greater Manchester will not affect any of my work in this constituency.

“I’m afraid people are stuck with me for the foreseeable future. Even if I was successful I wouldn’t abandon Leigh."

His Greater Manchester mayor manifesto includes plans to revolutionise technical education, introduce the country's first fully-integrated national health and care service, make more affordable housing available and develop an east to west rail line.

Mr Burnham said: “I’m proud of what I have managed to do in my 15 years as MP, but the job won’t be finished until we have a 21st century rail line.

"The guided busway helps, of course, but it’s not rail travel.

“My hopes for Leigh have not changed. I want to see Leigh with a rail line connecting it to neighbouring cities.

“I have stuck by that and I have a clear message for George Osbourne: if you want a Northern Powerhouse you need to put your money where your mouth is, and that is with north west rail travel.

“As mayor I would have the ability to consult and make decisions on the transport network, which will give me an opportunity to sort the rail opportunities.

“There is an overwhelming need for it in our area of Leigh."

Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd is currently the interim mayor.

The other candidates will be selected this summer and a poll will be held next year to decide who becomes Greater Manchester’s first mayor.