Andy Burnham has made his latest U-turn, as he changed his mind about migrants being given immediate access to benefits in Britain. The Greater Manchester Mayor previously hit out at the longstanding policy that prevents migrants from accessing welfare until they obtain permanent residence. But The Times reported that Mr Burnham’s team made clear he no longer stood by the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) measure.
A spokesman for Mr Burnham told the newspaper: “Andy’s been very clear that he recognises that towns across this country want an immigration system to be fair and they want to know that the Government has control – and it is right to pursue root and branch reform. He strongly believes we need control as well as compassion. Britain has always welcomed those who come here and contribute and Greater Manchester is testament to that.”
It comes as the Greater Manchester Mayor is making a bid to return to Westminster in the Makerfield by-election.
If he wins he is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer‘s leadership.
But he is facing a major challenge from Reform UK’s local plumber Robert Kenyon in the Red Wall seat.
The U-turn on migrant benefits is the latest in a series of reversals Mr Burnham has made in recent weeks as he eyes a return to Parliament.
He has backed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms to double the time it takes for migrants to qualify for indefinite leave to remain, after previously criticising the overhaul.
He has rowed back on his support to rejoin the EU as he attempts to win the Leave-voting Makerfield constituency.
He also now supports Chancellor Rachel Reeves‘s fiscal rules after suggesting they could be tweaked.
And he backed single-sex spaces guidance issued last week in the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.