Mr Afzal Khan MEP, former Manchester Mayor and one of the most influential politicians among the Asian communities, has announced his Support for Labour Leadership Candidate Andy Burnham MP….reports Asian Lite News. Mr Khan said Burnham is the candidate who ‘connects’ best with the people. Afzal’s support to Andy will tilt the grass-root level campaign especially in Greater Manchester
Afzal Khan MEP, Vice-Chair of Security & Defence, announced his support for Labour leadership candidate, Andy Burnham MP, after the first ever Labour hustings held in the European Parliament this week.
At the hustings, the candidates faced a gruelling Q&A from Labour MEPs and supporters as each set out their vision for the Labour Party. After each delivered their two minute statements, Afzal Khan said: “Andy Burnham emerged today as the candidate with the strongest plan for Labour, for the UK and for Europe. He has my vote.”
Burnham’s key message throughout his campaign has been to counter any perceptions that Labour is against businesses and people who do well. As Afzal Khan stated: “We need a plan for businesses and jobs and Andy has the strongest one. His plan is to ensure public and private investment in R&D, in new technologies and in emerging sectors.
“It is set to increase the availability of finance and to support important industries that are vital for building our manufacturing base.”
Burnham also made it clear that Britain’s interests lie with EU membership and that we need EU reform rather than ‘Brexit’.
Afzal Khan commented: ‘Andy laid his message out clearly – we need to win the YES campaign to retain EU membership but in order to do this we must push for the right reforms. This includes a guarantee that workers be protected from exploitation and abuse, such as underpaying of migrant agency workers.’
Burnham is also hailed as the candidate who ‘connects’ best with the people, an attribute the party felt was lacking in the last General Election campaign. Afzal Khan described him as having an ‘authentic quality making him the candidate that people feel they can most relate to.’
The final results of the Labour leadership contest will be announced on 12th September. After a difficult defeat in the last General Election, the party now looks forward to a new leader that can bring it the necessary changes for success.