Labour mayoral hopeful Andy Burnham says he would donate a huge chunk of his salary to fight homelessness, the M.E.N. can reveal.

The Leigh MP says that if he wins the race to become the region’s top official he would hand over 15 per cent of his salary each year.

The Labour candidate says he would put aside the cash to kick-start a new mayoral fund - which he would then seek to grow with donations from organisations and individuals.

Mr Burnham revealed the pledge as he prepared to kick off Labour’s ground campaign in Manchester on Saturday.

The mayor’s salary has not yet been decided - and will be based on the recommendation of an independent panel in the coming weeks - but the current interim mayor Tony Lloyd earns £100,000 a year, while London’s mayor Sadiq Khan is on more than£140,000.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Mr Burnham, who currently earns an MP’s salary of £74,962, is expected to tell activists on Saturday: “We don’t know yet what the salary of the Mayor would be. It is still be determined.

“But what I can say to you today is that, whatever it is, I won’t be taking it in full.

“When MPs were given a pay rise in 2015, I didn’t take it and instead gave it to a homelessness charity in Leigh. If I am elected Mayor, I will go further.

'Unseen' homeless captured in heartbreaking pictures

"I will donate at least 15pc of my salary on an on-going basis to kick-start a new mayoral fund to eradicate homelessness and rough sleeping in Greater Manchester - a Fund that I will seek to build up by asking for donations from others too.”

People are ‘fed up’ with politicians not backing words with deeds, he will say, arguing he will ‘provide the new political leadership people in Greater Manchester want to see’.

“When I go to Greater Manchester businesses asking them to give back to this city-region, I want to do so having shown them that I am doing the same myself,” he will add.

Watch: Girl, 5, hands out cupcakes to homeless

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

“And when I go to senior people in the public sector to ask them to show restraint on top pay, they won’t be able to say that there is one rule for them and another for me.”

The current MP is one of a number of politicians who have recently handed over part of their salaries - or refused pay rises.

Last November, Salford Mayor Paul Dennett gave himself a £6,000 pay cut to fund a community event in the city and his two deputies also agreed to each take a £2,000 cut.

And his party colleague Mr Burnham has already declared his intention to eradicate homelessness in the region if he wins on May 4, as numbers of rough sleepers and people living in temporary bed and breakfasts steadily and visibly and steadily rise.

So far the Tories have selected Sean Anstee as their mayoral candidate, while Jane Brophy is standing for the Liberal Democrats and Shneur Odze for Ukip.

The Manchester Evening News has pledged to support and publicise the Manchester Homelessness Charter.

If you are affected by issues surrounding homelessness in any way, or if you want to do something to help, you can go to streetsupport.net.