ONE of the front runners in the race to become the next leader of the Labour Party visited Basingstoke today as part of his leadership campaign.

Leigh MP and Labour leader hopeful, Andy Burnham, joined around 30 members of the Basingstoke Labour party at the Oakridge Hall for All this afternoon.

Mr Burnham spoke to members telling them that the party was at a “crossroads” and needed to change and connect with the public in the way that it used to.

He also outlined key policies that he would like to see implemented including more house building by councils to enable more people to have access to a home, a fairer education system which would treat vocational education and academic education equally and an integrated national health and social care system which would stop people paying thousands of pounds for care.

He also answered questions from members on issues such as tuition fees, rents, care costs, reform of the voting system and foodbanks.

Following the meeting, Mr Burnham told The Gazette: “It was really good. There were some excellent questions. It was a really good turnout and we had a mix of ages.

“We do need to reach out here in Basingstoke but also across the south. Labour needs to be a party for everyone, everywhere.

There has been a sense that Labour has left swathes of the south to the blues and it is right. We have not done enough, we need to be everywhere and I am making that argument today to give people a positive reason to vote for Labour.”

For more reaction on Andy Burnham's visit, pick up your copy of The Gazette which is on sale next Thursday.