When Andy Burnham implied politicians like me who stay out of Westminster are inferior, I was insulted

Burnham needs to think before dismissing local politicians like me - we're the ones who hold the power in the North

Andy Burnham has come under fire for saying that local politicans are not qualified to run for Metro Mayor positions (Rex)

I am a passionate man who cares deeply about the future of the place where I have lived my whole life and raised two generations of my family. Many years ago, I decided that I wanted to play a part in that future, standing up for normal people and creating a place we could all be proud of. I have personally experienced great poverty and seen it in the places that I have worked and lived, across the Liverpool city region.

A lot has changed in the last 50 years – a lot has improved. But some places in the UK have done better than others and I made the decision to serve my local community through local politics. It’s the same decision that dozens of councillors I work with here in Liverpool and thousands of others across the country have made. Every single one of them sacrifices their time, dedicating energy and passion to serve their community.

Some are “lucky” enough to become leaders or cabinet members and find themselves in charge of vital services that people depend on, with budgets worth hundreds of millions of pounds – they then have to find painful ways of cutting them because of austerity politics, forced on us by government.

As leader, then Mayor of Liverpool, I have sat with cabinet members as they break into tears over cuts they have to find in their department. I have had to stand in front of hundreds of mothers fearful for the future of their Sure Start centre. I have stood with my fellow councillors watching as demonstrations rage outside the Town Hall while we vote.

Ask most people what they think government does and they will list the services they receive from their local council, not their local Parliamentary Committee. The Metro Mayor positions that will come into existence in May 2017 are a result of negotiations by local leaders. Our work has created these devolution deals and is going to deliver the single biggest transformation of Local Government for a generation with a massive new surge in direct democracy and powers.

So, yes, when Andy Burnham implied that myself and others like me are not qualified to run for the newly created office of Metro Mayor because we haven’t done our time in Westminster, I was insulted.

I publicly supported Andy Burnham twice for leadership of the party and I have a great deal of admiration and fondness for him, so this isn’t coming from a place of political partisanship. I just think it was an insulting and ignorant thing to say.

I am not saying Members of Parliament shouldn’t stand for selection as Metro Mayors. Labour MPs share the same values I have and will have genuine ideas and opinions about how to drive our communities forward. We will have – and need – a good debate and discussion about who can lead our city regions. But Andy should have shown more respect for those who have been doing the job already in very difficult times.

Finally, the Labour Party is not in power in Westminster, but we are in power in Local Government. Local councillors and leaders have forged the way in earning the trust of the voting public and we manage the crucial services they depend on. It’s time those in the "Westminster Bubble" learned that vital lesson.

Joe Anderson is the Mayor of Liverpool