THE man who hopes to become the first ever Greater Manchester Mayor has said he will be a ‘radical’ leader who will stop people from ‘filling our streets with hate.’

The Leigh MP gave a rousing speech at the launch of his mayoral campaign in Manchester, in which he focussed on young people and said he would reach out to the hundreds of thousands of people who voted for the country to leave the European Union.

Just days after Donald Trump shocked the world by winning the U.S Presidential election, the Labour MP said it ‘couldn’t be a more important day’ to gather and promote the values of social justice.

He said: “What has happened in America has happened in other places, there has been a political elite which has clearly forgotten about the people it represents.

“The left has now got to offer people better answers, we have got to be better at listening and responding to people.

“If we don’t understand that, that space will be taken by people who want to fill the streets with hate.”

Mr Burnham, who will step down as MP if he becomes mayor in May, has frequently cited his desire to get away from Westminster politics and work with people at a grassroots level.

That theme continued as he revealed that his mayoral manifesto will be made ‘by the people’ following a series of public events in the run up to the vote.

He said: “Imagine the power of that, a manifesto made by the people of Greater Manchester for the future of Greater Manchester.

“The old politics is broke and lying in shattered pieces — this is Greater Manchester’s chance to build something better.”

Outlining a range of new ideas, particularly aimed at young people, he said he would like to create a UCAS style website for apprenticeships and would aim to offer free or discounted bus travel for 16-18 year olds in a bid to help them take opportunities.

If he is elected, he will take charge of a huge devolved budget for spending on areas like transport, health and skills.

But he argued that the Department of Work and Pensions should also be devolved, adding: “That is still a top down, tick box regime that sanctions people rather than helps them — I believe we could do a much better job of getting people out of poverty.”

The former cabinet minister accepted he needed to reach out to a region in which seven out of the ten boroughs — including Wigan — voted for Brexit in July.

He said: “These people are feeling abandoned by politicians, they feel like no one is listening — well I am listening and I understand why you voted that way.”

Voting in the Greater Manchester Mayoral election will take place on Thursday, May 4.