Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham has warned Britain is heading for the “ugliest” election in residing reminiscence, throughout a sit-down interview on the Edinburgh Fringe.

Speaking on the Stand New Town theatre, he mentioned: “Let’s be honest, I think we’re heading to the most unpleasant, divisive general election we will ever see in our lifetimes”.

He accused the Tories of “betting the shop on culture wars” and claimed Rishi Sunak is “going to make it as toxic as they can make them. They’re already doing it”.

Mr Burnham cited Tory vice chair Lee Anderson’s feedback that migrants who refused to board the Bibby Stockholm barge ought to “f*** off back to France”.

He claimed: “You see a rhetoric coming out from them that I don’t think I would ever see in my political lifetime. F off back to France?”

“Can you imagine an elected representative of the Conservative party in the British Parliament using language like that? Did you ever think you would see that happen? Honestly, I can’t imagine. And yet he’s deputy chairman of the bloody party.”

Hitting again, Mr Anderson delivered a brutal put-down, mentioning: “I have never called anyone Scum in the Chamber, I have never said we should lynch a female Tory MP and I have never referred to a political party as scum and homophobic racists.

“These are the words of Labour MPs and Andy's friends.

“Perhaps Andy is still a little bit dizzy after being caught travelling at 78mph in a 40mph zone and having to pay a two grand fine. Either that or he is desperate for attention.”

Mr Burnham mentioned he believes the general public’s temper is that “there’s a need for a rewiring” of the state, and mentioned “the country’s listening” to Labour.

He mentioned he hoped there can be a Labour authorities led by Keir Starmer after the election, that brings “hope and that kind of radical change to the way the country is run”.

He additionally referred to as for the abolition of celebration whipping within the Commons, a system he claims sees MPs handled like ‘school kids’.

Mr Burnham mentioned he would like MPs be left to make use of their “best judgement” throughout votes, which might enable voters to carry MPs “in better esteem”.

“The whips system, the effect of it, is to take power off elected representatives, and concentrate it in the hands of the unelected advisers and civil servants, 50 or 100 or so at the heart of government.”

He additionally requires a transfer to proportional illustration at elections, one thing he says he now backs with “the zeal of a convert”.

The Fringe competition has produced plenty of political headlines up to now, with SNP First Minister Humza Yousaf being heckled twice throughout an interview, and former SNP management contender Kate Forbes joking that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ could possibly be simpler to witness than a second Scottish independence referendum.