Burnham blueprint for national renewal | Letters

Andy Burnham has a rare commitment to co-designing policy alongside experts and communities, says Kate Pickett

Neal Lawson (This major Makerfield victory has made it inevitable: it’s now time for Keir Starmer to step aside, 19 June) describes Andy Burnham as “open, inquiring and imaginative”, and representative of “a workable alliance for long-term change”.

I know this to be true, having seen first-hand how he operates when the cameras are off. As chair of the Greater Manchester independent inequalities commission and an adviser to its “prevention demonstrator”, I’ve witnessed him systematically use research and frontline expertise to underpin successful regional policies.