Burnham blasts Labour for being too 'London-centric'

LABOUR leadership contender Andy Burnham today said the party had been "London- centric and elitist" and pledged to change it from top to bottom.

The Lancashire MP, who is seen as the "non-metropolitan" candidate in the five-cornered race to succeed Gordon Brown, was in Edinburgh today as part of a UK-wide tour.

He told the Evening News: "We need to rebuild the Labour Party from top to bottom and make a clean break with the way it has been run in recent times.

"I'm proud of what the Labour government achieved and people will know me as a loyal minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, but at its worst New Labour was London- centric, elitist and factional. All that has got to change as we move forward."

He said Labour had to reconnect with ordinary people if it were to get back to power.

Mr Burnham is up against David and Ed Miliband, Ed Balls and Diane Abbot in the leadership contest. The result will be announced on the eve of the party conference in Manchester next month.

He was campaigning today with Edinburgh South Labour MP Ian Murray and Bill Cook, the party's candidate for the council by-election in Liberton/Gilmerton to be held on September 9.