Who is Andy Burnham, frontrunner to replace Starmer as PM
What's the story
Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, is emerging as a potential candidate to succeed Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who resigned on Monday. The 56-year-old politician, who has previously lost two bids for the Labour Party leadership, won a parliamentary seat in a by-election, which he called a "turning point" for UK politics. Known as the "King of the North," Burnham has been critical of what he sees as the Conservative Party's "London-centric" policies.
Career path
From MP to Mayor: Tracing Burnham's political journey
Burnham's political career began when he joined the Labour Party as a teenager. He studied at Cambridge University and was first elected to Parliament in 2001. After serving in high-profile government roles under Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, he lost two bids for the Labour leadership in 2010 and 2015. He then became the Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017, where he earned his "King of the North" title during his tenure.
MP
He earned the nickname during the Covid-19 outbreak
This nickname came from his prominent status in the distinct politics of the north-west of England. He earned the nickname during the COVID-19 outbreak, when he chastised Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson for what he dubbed a "London-centric" response to the problem. The 56-year-old lawmaker portrays himself as a friendly northern everyman who prefers T-shirts to suits and ties and spends his free time playing soccer or spinning 1990s tunes at DJ battles.
Regional transformation
Achievements as mayor and recent by-election victory
As Mayor, Burnham transformed Greater Manchester with rapid regeneration and improved public transport services under the Bee Network. He also supported justice campaigns for victims of the Hillsborough disaster. His recent by-election victory in Makerfield against Reform UK's anti-immigration candidate further solidified his status as a political winner. Now, he hopes to take his "Manchesterism" approach, putting people and place before party, nationally if elected PM. "What we've built in Greater Manchester needs to go national," Burnham said while campaigning.
Political vision
Challenges ahead for Burnham
In his post-election speech, Burnham outlined priorities such as vocational education, lower energy bills and rail fares, and an end to trickle-down economics. However, critics argue that his policies are vague and question how they would be funded. Starmer resigned on Monday, following months of deteriorating popularity, policy mistakes, and scandals, becoming the sixth prime minister to depart office in the last 10 years.