8 facts about Andy Burnham
The United Kingdom is on the brink of confirming Andy Burnham as the new Prime Minister. Here are some things you probably didn’t know about the affable northerner’s life and career.
Image Credit: Official portrait of Andy Burnham © House of Commons. Source: UK Parliament. Cropped by Sky HISTORY. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 .
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Andy Burnham. As recently as late June, he wasn’t even a Member of Parliament. Now, he’s about to be confirmed as the new leader of the Labour Party and the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
How did he ascend to the British political summit so quickly? The journey actually started long before his predecessor Keir Starmer achieved a landslide victory for Labour in the 2024 general election. We at Sky HISTORY have found out a few surprising things about the new PM.
1. He’s a Scouser (sort of)
Andy Burnham was born on 7th January 1970 in Aintree, at that time part of Lancashire. Since then, it’s switched to Merseyside. Though located in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Aintree is seen as a suburb of Liverpool.
Given that he actually grew up in the Cheshire village of Culcheth, there’s some controversy over whether Burnham is a Scouser. However, as a lifelong supporter of Everton FC, he is at least Liverpudlian in spirit, it’s fair to say.
2. He was first elected to Parliament in 2001
After graduating from the University of Cambridge, Burnham started working as a researcher for the late Tessa Jowell, back then a Labour Party MP. After Labour won the 1997 general election, Burnham was an advisor to the new Culture Secretary, Chris Smith.
It wasn't until 2001 that Burnham first became a Labour MP, when he was elected in the Greater Manchester constituency of Leigh.
3. His time at the top could have come much earlier
As an MP, Burnham soon climbed the political ladder, being appointed Culture Secretary and later Health Secretary. After Prime Minister Gordon Brown led Labour to defeat in the 2010 general election and promptly resigned, Burnham made a bid for the party leadership.
On that occasion, he came fourth, behind winner Ed Miliband. Burnham competed in another Labour leadership contest five years later, this time finishing as the runner-up to Jeremy Corbyn.
4. He was hailed as ‘King of the North’ during the COVID-19 pandemic
Andy Burnham’s glowing reputation today rests largely on his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester. He was first elected to the position in 2017, after resigning as an MP. Burnham has been credited with improving public transport and tackling homelessness across the conurbation.
However, his profile soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he called on Boris Johnson’s government to provide more financial support for the north. His evidently powerful clout led the British press to declare him ‘King of the North’.
5. He inspired a viral artwork
We’re sure you know the artwork we mean. It’s the one of Andy you‘ve probably seen everywhere, from his socials to the publicity materials that helped secure his return to Parliament. Where did this iconic image originally come from?
Manchester artist Stanley Chow drew it in Adobe Illustrator after watching Burnham deliver a speech in the city in October 2020. Chow told the Guardian: ‘I put it on Twitter and within 10 mins, Andy had nicked it.’
6. He’s been portrayed on screen
Burnham arranged investigations into the Hillsborough disaster of 1989. Actor Matthew McNulty played Burnham in ITV’s 2022 TV drama miniseries Anne, which retold the story of the tragedy and its aftermath.
More recently, Burnham was portrayed comedically by Paddy Young in the Sky sketch show Saturday Night Live UK, a role that is likely to continue into the show's upcoming second series.
7. There’s a Harry Hill dance called ‘the Andy Burnham’
Remember when dance videos were all the rage on TikTok? Floppy-collared comedian Harry Hill has given us his own quirky tribute to them, a dance he calls ‘the Andy Burnham’.
Seriously, look it up on Harry’s socials and his video podcast The Harry Hill Show. We won’t spoil the surprise, we’ll just say it doesn’t make a lick of sense and that’s very much the fun of it. Older viewers, though, might recognise the accompanying tune from a certain ‘80s school disco favourite…
8. He’s the UK’s first Co-operative Party PM
Hang on, isn’t Burnham a Labour PM? Yes, but the Co-operative Party has long had a close alliance with Labour whereby the two sides agree not to field candidates against each other. Several Labour MPs concurrently represent the Co-operative Party, too.
In the Makerfield by-election in June 2026, Burnham stood as a candidate for both parties. So, for the first time ever, the Co-operative Party can count the UK PM as one of their own.
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