View source for Andy Burnham

{{short description|British politician (born 1970)}}
{{Other people|Andrew Burnham}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Right Honourable]] [[Mayor]]
| name                = Andy Burnham
| image               = Andy Burnham on 13 August 2024 (cropped 2).jpg
| caption             = Burnham in 2024
| office              = [[Mayor of Greater Manchester]]
| deputy              = {{ubl | [[Richard Leese]] (2017–2021) |[[Beverley Hughes|The Baroness Hughes of Stretford]] (2017–2023) |[[Paul Dennett]] (2021–)|[[Kate Green]] (2023–)}}
| term_start          = 8 May 2017
| term_end            = 
| predecessor         = [[Tony Lloyd]] (interim)
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Ministerial positions
| cont = yes
| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| office1             = [[Secretary of State for Health]]
| primeminister1      = [[Gordon Brown]]
| term_start1         = 5 June 2009
| term_end1           = 11 May 2010
| predecessor1        = [[Alan Johnson]]
| successor1          = [[Andrew Lansley]]
| office2             = [[Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]]
| primeminister2      = Gordon Brown
| term_start2         = 24 January 2008
| term_end2           = 5 June 2009
| predecessor2        = [[James Purnell]]
| successor2          = [[Ben Bradshaw]]
| office3             = [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]]
| primeminister3      = Gordon Brown
| term_start3         = 28 June 2007
| term_end3           = 24 January 2008
| predecessor3        = [[Stephen Timms]]
| successor3          = [[Yvette Cooper]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|[[Shadow Cabinet]] posts<!--Do NOT add unecessary dates-->
| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| office = [[Shadow Home Secretary]]
| leader = [[Jeremy Corbyn]]
| term_start = 13 September 2015
| term_end = 6 October 2016
| predecessor = Yvette Cooper
| successor = [[Diane Abbott]]
| office1 = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Health]]
| leader1 = {{ubl|[[Ed Miliband]]|[[Harriet Harman]] (acting)}}
| term_start1 = 7 October 2011
| term_end1 = 13 September 2015
| predecessor1 = [[John Healey]]
| successor1 = [[Heidi Alexander]]
| leader2 = {{ubl|Harriet Harman (acting)|Ed Miliband}}
| term_start2 = 11 May 2010
| term_end2 = 8 October 2010
| predecessor2 = [[Andrew Lansley]]
| successor2 = John Healey
| office3 = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Education]]
| leader3 = Ed Miliband
| term_start3 = 8 October 2010
| term_end3 = 7 October 2011
| predecessor3 = [[Ed Balls]]
| successor3 = [[Stephen Twigg]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|last=yes|Junior ministerial offices<!--Do NOT remove "Junior" add unecessary dates-->
| cont = yes
| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| office = [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Minister of State for Health]]
| primeminister = [[Tony Blair]]
| term_start = 5 May 2006
| term_end = 28 June 2007
| predecessor = [[Jane Kennedy (politician)|Jane Kennedy]]
| successor = [[Ben Bradshaw]]
| office1 = [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs]]
| primeminister1 = Tony Blair
| term_start1 = 9 May 2005
| term_end1 = 5 May 2006
| predecessor1 = [[Caroline Flint]]
| successor1 = [[Joan Ryan (politician)|Joan Ryan]]
{{collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
| office10            = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)|Leigh]]
| term_start10        = 7 June 2001
| term_end10          = 3 May 2017
| predecessor10       = [[Lawrence Cunliffe]]
| successor10         = [[Jo Platt]]
| birth_name          = Andrew Murray Burnham
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1970|1|7|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Aintree]], [[Lancashire]]<!--At the time of his birth in 1970, ‘Merseyside’ did not exist. ‘Lancashire’ is correct was born in Aintree hospital then fazakerley hospital and is within the city of liverpool L9 -->, England
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]<br />[[Co-operative Party]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Marie-France van Heel|2000}}
| children            = 3
| education           = [[Hope Academy|St Aelred's Catholic High School]]
| alma_mater          = [[Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
<!-- RELIGION REMOVED PER PROJECT-WIDE CONSENSUS AT THE VILLAGE PUMP. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump_(policy)/Archive_126#RfC:_Religion_in_biographical_infoboxes -->| website             = {{Official URL}}
| signature           = Andy Burnham signature.svg
| module              = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Andy Burnham on bus deregulation in Greater Manchester.ogg|title=Andy Burnham's voice|type=speech|description=Burnham on [[Bus deregulation in Great Britain|bus deregulation in Greater Manchester]]<br />Recorded 13 February 2017}}
| nickname            = [[King in the North]]
}}
'''Andrew Murray Burnham''' (born 7 January 1970) is a British politician who has served as [[Mayor of Greater Manchester]] since [[2017 Greater Manchester mayoral election|2017]]. He served in [[Gordon Brown]]'s [[Brown ministry|Cabinet]] as [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] from 2007 to 2008, [[Culture Secretary]] from 2008 to 2009 and [[Secretary of State for Health and Social Care|Health Secretary]] from 2009 to 2010. A member of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] and the [[Co-operative Party]] ([[Labour Co-op]]), Burnham identifies as a [[socialist]] and as belonging to the party's [[soft left]]. He once identified as being on the [[Blairite]] wing of the party. He served as [[Shadow Home Secretary]] from 2015 to 2016 and was [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)|Leigh]] from 2001 to 2017.

Born in the [[Old Roan]] area of [[Aintree]], Burnham attended [[Hope Academy|St Aelred's Catholic High School]] in [[Newton-le-Willows]]. He took a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in [[English studies|English]] from  [[Fitzwilliam College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]]. He worked as a researcher for [[Tessa Jowell]] from 1994 to 1997, then worked for the [[NHS Confederation]] in 1997 and as an administrator for the Football Task Force in 1998. He was a [[Special advisers (UK government)|special adviser]] to [[Culture Secretary]] [[Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury|Chris Smith]] from 1998 to 2001. Following  the retirement of [[Lawrence Cunliffe]], the Labour MP for Leigh, Burnham was elected to succeed him in [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001]].

Burnham served as a [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] from 2003 to 2005. He was promoted by Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] to serve in [[Third Blair ministry|his government]] after the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 election]] as [[Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department]]. In 2006, Burnham was reshuffled to become [[Minister of State]] [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|for Health]]. When [[Gordon Brown]] became Prime Minister in 2007, Burnham was promoted to the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, a position he held until 2008, when he became [[Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]]. In 2009, he was promoted again to become Health Secretary. In that role, he responded to the [[2009 swine flu pandemic|swine flu pandemic]], opposed further privatisation of [[National Health Service]] services and launched an independent inquiry into the [[Stafford Hospital scandal]]. Following the Labour Party's defeat in the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], Burnham was a candidate in the [[2010 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2010 Labour leadership election]], coming fourth out of five candidates. The contest was won by [[Ed Miliband]]. Burnham served as [[Shadow Secretary of State for Health]] until late 2010, when he was moved by Miliband to become [[Shadow Secretary of State for Education]]. He held that role for a year, then returning to the role of Shadow Health Secretary.

Following Miliband's resignation as Labour leader due to the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]] defeat, Burnham launched [[Andy Burnham 2015 Labour Party leadership campaign|his campaign]] to succeed Miliband in the resulting [[2015 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|September 2015 leadership election]]. He finished a distant second behind [[Jeremy Corbyn]], after which he accepted a role in [[Corbyn's shadow cabinet]] as [[Shadow Home Secretary]]. After being selected as Labour's candidate for the new [[Greater Manchester Mayor]]alty, Burnham stood down as Shadow Home Secretary in 2016 and as an MP at the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]]. Burnham won the [[2017 Greater Manchester mayoral election|2017 mayoral election]], was re-elected in [[2021 Greater Manchester mayoral election|the delayed election]] held in May 2021, and elected for a third time in the [[2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election|2024 election]]. 

As Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham has implemented reforms to public transport, taking buses back into [[Bus deregulation in Great Britain|local control]] and bringing them, along with trams, into an integrated [[Transport for London|London-style]] transport system – the [[Bee Network]].  Manchester has boomed during his mayoralty, with the city's economy growing faster than any major UK city outside of London, at an average of 2% a year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The UK's new industrial strategy: what does it mean for Manchester? |url=https://www.economicsobservatory.com/the-uks-new-industrial-strategy-what-does-it-mean-for-manchester |access-date=2025-09-06 |website=Economics Observatory |language=en}}</ref>  For his role campaigning to secure more [[furlough]] funding for Northern communities during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]], he was dubbed '''King of the North''' by both the media and Northerners – even outside Greater Manchester – a title which, despite being used sarcastically at first, has grown into a term of endearment.<ref name="Martin">{{cite news |last=Martin |first=Iain |title=Andy Burnham: Is the 'king of the north' unprincipled or the real deal? |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/andy-burnham-king-of-the-north-unprincipled-or-the-real-deal-wnllfqfrg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210154640/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/andy-burnham-king-of-the-north-unprincipled-or-the-real-deal-wnllfqfrg |archive-date=10 December 2020 |access-date=20 October 2020 |work=[[The Times]] |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref name="The Telegraph">{{cite news |last1=Diver |first1=Tony |last2=Neilan |first2=Catherine |date=20 October 2020 |title=Manchester moved to Tier 3 as Andy Burnham warns country will fracture |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/10/20/boris-johnson-manchester-tier-3-lockdown-brexit-news-latest/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102232209/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/10/20/boris-johnson-manchester-tier-3-lockdown-brexit-news-latest/ |archive-date=2 November 2020 |access-date=20 October 2020 |work=The Telegraph |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref name="independent.co.uk">{{cite web |date=10 October 2020 |title=How did Andy Burnham reinvent himself as king of the north? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/politics-explained/how-did-andy-burnham-reinvent-himself-as-king-of-the-north-b933064.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022134730/https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/politics-explained/how-did-andy-burnham-reinvent-himself-as-king-of-the-north-b933064.html |archive-date=22 October 2020 |access-date=20 October 2020 |website=The Independent}}</ref><ref name="news.sky.com">{{cite web |title=Coronavirus: Andy Burnham is the 'King of the North' – a crown the PM believed he'd won |url=https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-andy-burnham-is-the-king-of-the-north-a-crown-the-pm-believed-hed-won-12109752 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023001136/https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-andy-burnham-is-the-king-of-the-north-a-crown-the-pm-believed-hed-won-12109752 |archive-date=23 October 2020 |access-date=20 October 2020 |website=Sky News}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Andrew Murray Burnham was born on 7 January 1970 in [[Aintree]], [[Lancashire]] (now part of [[Merseyside]]).<ref name=whoswho>{{Who's Who | author=Anon| title = Burnham, Rt Hon. Andrew (Murray)  | id =U41936 | year = 2007 | doi =10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U41936 | edition = online [[Oxford University Press]]|location=Oxford|isbn=9781399409452|oclc=1402257203}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Andy's biography from his Andy4Leader web-site|url=http://andy4leader.com/about|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705100723/http://andy4leader.com/about/|archive-date=5 July 2010}}</ref> His father, Kenneth Roy Burnham, was a telephone engineer and his mother, Eileen Mary Burnham, was a receptionist.<ref name=whoswho /> He was brought up in [[Culcheth]] and educated at St Lewis Catholic Primary School and [[Hope Academy|St Aelred's Roman Catholic High School]], in Newton le Willows, [[Metropolitan Borough of St Helens|St Helens]]. He studied English at the [[University of Cambridge]] as an undergraduate student of [[Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk|url=http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/MinistersandDepartmentLeaders/Ministers/Ministersbiography/DH_100325|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100407204138/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/MinistersandDepartmentLeaders/Ministers/Ministersbiography/DH_100325|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 April 2010|title=Biography of Andy Burnham : Department of Health|access-date=9 April 2013}}</ref> He had described himself as "Catholic by upbringing" but "not particularly religious", adding: "[[Catholic social teaching]] underpins my politics, we did have to read the [[Catechism of the Catholic Church|catechism]] at school but it is powerful and strong and right".<ref>{{cite news |title=Andy Burnham Interview: Part 2 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/08/10/andy-burnham-interview-catholic-church-tampon-tax_n_7961096.html |access-date=27 April 2025 |work=HuffPost UK |date=10 August 2015 |language=en}}</ref>

==Career==
Burnham joined the Labour Party when he was 15.<ref name="theyworkforyou.com">{{cite web |title=Orders of the Day — European Communities (Amendment) Bill |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2001-07-04.333.1 |website=They Work For You |access-date=7 November 2021 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107215425/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2001-07-04.333.1 |url-status=live }}</ref> From 1994 until the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]] he was a researcher for [[Tessa Jowell]].<Ref name=whoswho/> He joined the [[Transport and General Workers' Union]] in 1995. Following the 1997 election, he was a [[Palace of Westminster|parliament]]ary officer for the [[NHS Confederation]] from August to December 1997, before taking up the post as an administrator with the Football Task Force for a year.<ref name=whoswho /><ref>{{cite news
 |title=New culture secretary keeps an open mind on licence fee 
 |work=[[The Guardian]] 
 |last=Woodward 
 |first=Will 
 |date=26 January 2008 
 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/jan/26/uk.media 
 |publisher=[[Guardian News & Media]] 
 |access-date=12 October 2008 
 |location=London 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005143739/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jan/26/uk.media 
 |archive-date=5 October 2008 
 |url-status=live 
}}</ref>

In 1998, he became a [[Special adviser (UK)|special adviser]] to the [[Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]], [[Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury|Chris Smith]], a position he remained in until he was elected to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] in [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001]].

===Member of Parliament===
Following the retirement of [[Lawrence Cunliffe]], Burnham successfully applied to be the parliamentary candidate for [[Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)|Leigh]] in Greater Manchester, then a safe Labour seat. At the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 election]] he was elected with a majority of 16,362, and gave his [[maiden speech]] in the House of Commons on 4 July 2001.<ref>{{cite web
 |date=4 July 2001 
 |access-date=12 October 2008 
 |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo010704/debtext/10704-21.htm#10704-21_spnew1 
 |title=House of Commons Hansard; vol 371, part 14, col 333 
 |work=[[Hansard]] 
 |publisher=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo010704/debtext/10704-21.htm#10704-21_spnew1 
 |archive-date=30 June 2009
 |url-status=live 
}}</ref>

Following his election to Parliament, Burnham was a member of the [[Health Select Committee]] from 2001 until 2003, when he was appointed [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State|Parliamentary Private Secretary]] (PPS) to the [[Home Secretary]] [[David Blunkett]]. Following Blunkett's first resignation in 2004, he became PPS to the [[Secretary of State for Education|education secretary]] [[Ruth Kelly]]. Burnham voted for the [[Iraq War]], and consistently voted against holding an inquiry into the war.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andy Burnham, former MP, Leigh |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10766/andy_burnham/leigh/divisions?policy=975 |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=TheyWorkForYou |language=en}}</ref>

===In Government (2005–2010)===
[[File:Andy Burnham (cropped).jpg|right|thumb|235x235px|Official portrait as Health Secretary, 2009]]
Following the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 election]] Burnham was promoted to serve in the Government as a [[Parliamentary Under Secretary of State]], with responsibility for implementing the [[Identity Cards Act 2006]]. In the government reshuffle of 5 May 2006, he was moved from the [[Home Office]] and promoted to [[Minister of State]] for Delivery and Reform at the [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Department of Health]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Department of Health Departmental Report 2007|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/243293/7093.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=15 July 2021|archive-date=18 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018092236/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/243293/7093.pdf}}</ref> In [[Gordon Brown]]'s first cabinet, announced on 28 June 2007, Burnham was appointed [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]], a position he held until 2008. During his time at the Treasury, he helped write the [[2007 Comprehensive Spending Review]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Andy Burnham: Labour spending was not profligate|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2015/may/17/andy-burnham-labour-spending-was-not-profligate-video|access-date=10 July 2015|work=The Guardian|date=17 May 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711053642/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2015/may/17/andy-burnham-labour-spending-was-not-profligate-video|archive-date=11 July 2015}}</ref>

====Brown Cabinet (2008–2010)====
In a re-shuffle in January 2008, Burnham was promoted to the position of [[Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]], replacing [[James Purnell]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/peter_riddell/article3248199.ece |title=Sometimes a problem really is an opportunity... for others |work=[[The Times]] |date=25 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/peter_riddell/article3248199.ece |archive-date=30 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In June 2008, he apologised to the director of pressure group [[Liberty (pressure group)|Liberty]], [[Shami Chakrabarti]], after she threatened to sue him for libel for smearing her reputation in an article Burnham had written for [[Progressive Britain|Progress]] magazine.<ref>{{cite news|last=Percival |first=Jenny |date=23 June 2008 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/jun/23/daviddavis.terrorism |title=Chakrabarti-Davis row: Liberty head accepts letter of apology from Burnham |work=[[The Guardian]] |publisher=[[Guardian News & Media]] |access-date=11 October 2008 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jun/23/daviddavis.terrorism |archive-date=30 June 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In late 2008, Burnham announced government plans to tighten controls on internet content in order to "even up" what he described as an imbalance with TV regulations.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/sep/26/digitalmedia.internet |title=Government to tighten up web controls |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=26 September 2008 |first=Mark |last=Sweney |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528025203/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/sep/26/digitalmedia.internet |archive-date=28 May 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7644849.stm |title=The medium and the message |work=BBC News |date=1 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528025203/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7644849.stm |archive-date=28 May 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jun/11/digitalmedia.media |title=Andy Burnham hints at tighter control of online content |first=Leigh |last=Holmwood |date=11 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528025203/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jun/11/digitalmedia.media |archive-date=28 May 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> The announcement was followed by a speech to the music industry's lobbying group, UK Music, in which he announced "a time that calls for partnership between Government and the music business as a whole: one with rewards for both of us; one with rewards for society as a whole. (...) My job&nbsp;– Government's job&nbsp;– is to preserve the value in the system."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukmusic.org/events/122-andy-burnham-and-charlie-mccreevy-speak-at-uk-musics-first-creators-conference|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716015417/http://www.ukmusic.org/events/122-andy-burnham-and-charlie-mccreevy-speak-at-uk-musics-first-creators-conference|url-status=dead|title=Andy Burnham and Charlie McCreevy speak at UK Music's first creators' conference|archive-date=16 July 2010}}</ref>

In April 2009, after being heckled at the 20th anniversary of the [[Hillsborough disaster]], Burnham used the next day's cabinet meeting in Downing Street to ask then prime minister [[Gordon Brown]] if he could raise the issue of Hillsborough in Parliament, and Brown agreed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson|first1=Mark|title=ough disaster speaks of his pride|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/roy-dixon-hillsborough-meet-man-6998085|access-date=10 July 2015|work=Liverpool Echo|date=16 April 2014|quote=Roy Dixon was singled out for praise by Andy Burnham MP at yesterday's Hillsborough memorial service|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714222117/http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/roy-dixon-hillsborough-meet-man-6998085|archive-date=14 July 2015}}</ref> The eventual result was the [[Hillsborough Independent Panel|second Hillsborough inquiry]]. In 2014, when Burnham spoke at the 25th anniversary of the [[Hillsborough disaster]], he was cheered and applauded by the crowd.<ref>{{cite news |first=Mike |last=McCarthy |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1243046/liverpool-remembers-hillsborough-disaster |title=Liverpool Remembers Hillsborough Disaster |publisher=British Sky Broadcasting |work=Sky News |date=15 April 2014 |access-date=1 May 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429163859/http://news.sky.com/story/1243046/liverpool-remembers-hillsborough-disaster |archive-date=29 April 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Andrew Burnham, September 2009 3.jpg|thumb|Burnham as Health Secretary, speaking at an event during the [[Labour Party Conference]] in 2009]]
In June 2009, Burnham was again promoted, becoming [[Secretary of State for Health]]. He held the post until the Labour government resigned following the 2010 general election.

In July 2009, a month after he became health secretary, Burnham launched an independent inquiry chaired by the QC [[Robert Francis (barrister)|Robert Francis]] into [[Stafford Hospital scandal|unusually high mortality rates at Stafford Hospital]].<ref name="bbc-20090721">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/staffordshire/8160385.stm |title=Fresh inquiry at failing hospital |publisher=BBC |date=21 July 2009 |access-date=25 August 2015 |archive-date=14 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214042425/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/staffordshire/8160385.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The inquiry found systematic failures at the hospital, and was critical of care provided by the [[Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust]].<ref name="guardian-20100224">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/feb/24/mid-staffordshire-hospital-inquiry |title=Mid Staffordshire NHS trust left patients humiliated and in pain |author=Sarah Boseley |newspaper=The Guardian |date=24 February 2010 |access-date=25 August 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019004601/http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/feb/24/mid-staffordshire-hospital-inquiry |archive-date=19 October 2015}}</ref><ref name="francis-report">{{cite book|url=http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_113018|title=Robert Francis Inquiry report into Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust|author=Robert Francis QC|publisher=House of Commons|date=24 February 2010|isbn=978-0-10-296439-4|access-date=24 February 2010|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605015905/http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_113018|archive-date=5 June 2011}}</ref> A wider [[public inquiry]], also led by Robert Francis, was launched in 2010 by his successor as health secretary, [[Andrew Lansley]]. It found serious failings at the hospital but concluded it would be "misleading" to link those failings to a particular number of deaths.<ref>{{cite web|title=How many people died "unnecessarily" at Mid Staffs|url=https://fullfact.org/factchecks/francis_many_deaths_unnecessarily_at_mid_staffs-28805|website=Full Fact|date=7 March 2013|access-date=29 May 2015|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530024053/https://fullfact.org/factchecks/francis_many_deaths_unnecessarily_at_mid_staffs-28805|archive-date=30 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="HC375">{{citation |chapter-url=http://www.midstaffspublicinquiry.com/sites/default/files/report/Volume%201.pdf |title=Independent Inquiry into care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust January 2005 – March 2009 |chapter=Volume I, Section G: Mortality statistics |page=352 |author=Robert Francis QC |publisher=The Stationery Office |date=24 February 2010 |id=HC375-I |isbn=978-0-10-296439-4 |access-date=9 November 2010 |quote=it has been concluded that it would be unsafe to infer from the figures that there was any particular number or range of numbers of avoidable or unnecessary deaths at the Trust.}}</ref> After leaving office, reports claimed that Burnham and his predecessor as health secretary, [[Alan Johnson]], had rejected 81 requests for an inquiry sitting in public to examine the high rate of deaths at Stafford hospital.<ref name="staffs">{{cite news|title=Mid Staffs: Labour Government ignored MP requests for public inquiry into deaths|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9875660/Mid-Staffs-Labour-Government-ignored-MP-requests-for-public-inquiry-into-deaths.html|location=London|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|first1=Rowena|last1=Mason|date=17 February 2013|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518135747/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9875660/Mid-Staffs-Labour-Government-ignored-MP-requests-for-public-inquiry-into-deaths.html |archive-date=18 May 2015}}</ref> According to ''The Daily Telegraph'', after initial concerns were raised about links between mortality rates and standards of care in 2005, there were up to 2,800 more deaths than expected across 14 NHS trusts highlighted as having unusually high death rates.<ref name="staffs" /> However, these figures for deaths were discredited. A report, the [[Keogh Review]], following an investigation into the 14 NHS trusts by [[Bruce Keogh]], described the use of such statistical measures as "clinically meaningless and academically reckless".

As health secretary, Burnham proposed the creation of a [[National Care Service]], which would introduce a publicly funded system of social care free at the point of use along the same lines of the [[National Health Service]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ivory |first=Mark |date=8 October 2009 |title=Rethinking the Cinderella Service |url=https://www.lgcplus.com/archive/rethinking-the-cinderella-service-08-10-2009/ |access-date=4 October 2025 |work=Local Government Chronicle}}</ref> In July 2009, the Department of Health released its [[green paper]] ''Shaping the Future of Care Together'', which proposed a National Care Service "on par with the NHS".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burke |first=Stephen |date=2009-10-02 |title=National care service – what's the big idea? |url=http://www.theguardian.com/society/2009/oct/02/national-social-care-service-general-election |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref> This was followed by a public consultation in September called the "Big Care Debate", which was promoted by Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a "crucial national debate".<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2009-09-08 |title=Big Care Debate: How to get involved |url=http://www.theguardian.com/careandsupportreform/big-care-debate |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref> The consultation found a public desire for social care reform and explored different ways to introduce the NCS. The government decided to introduce the NCS gradually and in different stages, with the first stage beginning with the [[Personal Care at Home Act 2010]], which was passed in April 2010.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/238441/7854.pdf |title=Building the National Care Service |date=2010-03-30 |publisher=[[HM Stationery Office]] |isbn=9780101785426 |location=London |pages=4, 7–8 |department=[[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Department of Health]]}}</ref> Burnham formally launched the NCS a month earlier, giving all [[Elderly people|elderly]] and [[disabled people]] free social care. The second stage was planned to begin from 2014 and would extend free social care to people who were in [[residential care]] for more than two years. A third and final stage would fully introduce the NCS, giving all adults free social care after 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-03-30 |title=National Care Service launched |url=http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/news/2010/03/national-care-service-launched/ |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413235713/http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/news/2010/03/national-care-service-launched/ |archive-date=13 April 2010 |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=[[GOV.UK]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201719/ldselect/ldeconaf/392/392.pdf |title=Social Care Funding: Time to End a National Scandal |date=2019-07-04 |publisher=Dandy Booksellers Limited |isbn=9781787764316 |page=11 |department=House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs}}</ref> However, after Labour's defeat in the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], the Conservative and [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|coalition]] of [[David Cameron]] and [[Nick Clegg]] scrapped the NCS with the Personal Care at Home Act 2010 later being repealed.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jarrett |first=Tim |title=Social care: Government reviews and policy proposals for paying for care since 1997 (England) |date=2017-09-23 |publisher=[[House of Commons Library]] |page=11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Personal Care at Home Act 2010 (repealed) |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/18/resources |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=[[legislation.gov.uk]]}}</ref>

===In Opposition (2010–2017)===
====First leadership campaign (2010)====
Following May 2010, following the defeat of [[Gordon Brown]]'s government, Burnham became [[Shadow Secretary of State for Health]]. Following Brown's resignation as leader of the Labour Party, Burnham declared his intention to stand in the subsequent [[2010 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|leadership contest]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott join Labour leadership race|date=19 May 2010|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/7743790/Andy-Burnham-and-Diane-Abbott-join-Labour-leadership-race.html|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=29 May 2010|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528025203/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/7743790/Andy-Burnham-and-Diane-Abbott-join-Labour-leadership-race.html|archive-date=28 May 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> He launched his leadership campaign in his Leigh constituency on 26 May.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8707561.stm |title=Burnham seeks to stand out from leadership crowd |last=Watson |first=Iain |location=Leigh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214042419/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8707561.stm |archive-date=14 December 2021 |url-status=live |work=BBC News |date=26 May 2010}}</ref> Burnham stood on his philosophy of "aspirational socialism", aligning himself with [[Intern Aware]]'s campaign to end unpaid internships. He made policy commitments including creating the National Care Service, which he had previously introduced as health secretary before its abolition by the Coalition, and replacing [[inheritance tax]] with a [[land value tax]]. Burnham finished fourth, eliminated on the second ballot with 10.4% of the vote. The leadership contest was won by [[Ed Miliband]].

====Miliband Shadow Cabinet (2010–2015)====
In October 2010, Burnham was appointed [[Shadow Secretary of State for Education]] and election co-ordinator for the Labour Party. As shadow education secretary, Burnham opposed the coalition government's plans for "[[Free school (England)|free schools]]". He argued for moving the education system back towards a [[Comprehensive school (England and Wales)|comprehensive system]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tickle|first1=Louise|title=Andy Burnham, advocate for the comprehensive system|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/nov/09/andy-burnham-education-shadow-comprehensives|access-date=10 July 2015|work=The Guardian|date=9 November 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711070137/http://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/nov/09/andy-burnham-education-shadow-comprehensives|archive-date=11 July 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Andy Burnham MP NHS Confederation conference 2014.jpg|thumb|right|Burnham speaking at the [[NHS Confederation]] annual conference in 2014]]
A year later, he was appointed to the role of Shadow Secretary of State for Health, which he held until 2015.

In July 2013 ''The Daily Telegraph'' reported that Burnham's staff had edited his Wikipedia page to remove criticisms of his handling of the [[Stafford Hospital scandal]]. Burnham's office claimed they had removed false statements that had been drawn to their attention.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10193346/Shadow-Health-Secretary-Andy-Burnhams-staff-deleted-negative-Wikipedia-references.html |location=London |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |first1=Melanie |last1=Hall |title=Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham's staff deleted 'negative' Wikipedia references |date=21 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10193346/Shadow-Health-Secretary-Andy-Burnhams-staff-deleted-negative-Wikipedia-references.html |archive-date=30 June 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Second leadership campaign (2015)====
{{Main|Andy Burnham 2015 Labour Party leadership campaign}}
On 13 May 2015, Burnham announced that he would stand to replace [[Ed Miliband]] in the [[2015 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2015 leadership election]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/andy-burnham-becomes-third-candidate-to-declare-labour-leadership-bid-10247938.html|location=London|newspaper=The Independent|first1=Matt|last1=Dathan|title=Andy Burnham becomes third candidate to declare Labour leadership bid|date=13 May 2015|access-date=30 December 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124094237/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/andy-burnham-becomes-third-candidate-to-declare-labour-leadership-bid-10247938.html|archive-date=24 January 2016}}</ref> He stressed the need to unite the party and country and "rediscover the beating heart of Labour".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-32731176|title=Andy Burnham: We must find 'heart of Labour'|date=13 May 2015|work=BBC News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524110540/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32731176|archive-date=24 May 2015}}</ref>

He attracted press criticism for claiming £17,000 in expenses to rent a London flat, despite owning another within walking distance of the House of Commons. A spokesperson for Burnham said that renting out the original flat was necessary to "cover his costs" as parliamentary rule changes meant he was no longer able to claim for mortgage interest expenses.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tufft|first1=Ben|title=Andy Burnham claims £17,000 a year in rent for London flat – despite owning another that's walking distance from Westminster|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-claims-rent-for-flat-moments-away-from-another-he-already-owns-10273311.html|access-date=29 May 2015|publisher=Independent|date=24 May 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530031636/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-claims-rent-for-flat-moments-away-from-another-he-already-owns-10273311.html|archive-date=30 May 2015}}</ref> Burnham was criticised for jokingly saying that Labour should have a woman leader "when the time is right", with the ''[[New Statesman]]'' saying that he had "tripped over his mouth again". He also said that he would resign from the Shadow Cabinet if Labour supported leaving [[NATO]], something which [[Jeremy Corbyn]] had talked about.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/08/andy-burnham-labour-should-have-woman-leader-when-time-right|title=Andy Burnham: Labour should have a woman leader "when the time is right"|date=25 August 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150828000302/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/08/andy-burnham-labour-should-have-woman-leader-when-time-right|archive-date=28 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/25/burnham-corbyn-nato-trident-labour |title=Burnham 'would resign from Corbyn cabinet' over Nato and Trident stance |date=25 August 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328110034/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/25/burnham-corbyn-nato-trident-labour |archive-date=28 March 2017 }}</ref> Burnham was criticised for refusing to talk to ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' newspaper when it emerged he had been interviewed by ''The Sun'' in his previous run for the Labour leadership, and had been photographed in the back of a cab for the newspaper.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-13 |title=The Sun embarrasses Andy Burnham for refusal to be interviewed |url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2015/jul/13/the-sun-embarrasses-andy-burnham-for-refusing-to-be-interviewed |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Burnham abstained on the government's welfare bill, despite having previously described the legislation as "unsupportable".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-20 |title=Andy Burnham will not vote against 'unsupportable' welfare bill |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/20/andy-burnham-not-vote-against-unsupportable-welfare-bill |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

Burnham came second to [[Jeremy Corbyn]] in the election, with 19% of the vote in the first round, compared to 59% for Corbyn.<ref name="bbc12092015">{{cite news|date=12 September 2015|title=Jeremy Corbyn wins Labour leadership contest|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34223157|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912024752/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34223157|archive-date=12 September 2015}}</ref>

====Corbyn Shadow Cabinet (2015–2017)====
[[File:Andy Burnham, 2016 Labour Party Conference 1.jpg|upright|thumb|Burnham giving his final Shadow Home Secretary speech at the party conference in 2016]]
In September 2015, Burnham accepted an appointment as [[shadow home secretary]] in the first [[Corbyn shadow cabinet]] and remained in the role after the 2016 reshuffle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn names Andy Burnham shadow home secretary|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34240869|access-date=13 September 2015|work=BBC News|date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916011555/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34240869|archive-date=16 September 2015}}</ref>
Burnham opposes the [[CONTEST#Prevent|Prevent]] counter-terrorism strategy; appearing in 2016 alongside the anti-Prevent organisation MEND, Burnham said: "The Prevent duty to report extremist behaviour is today's equivalent of internment in Northern Ireland."<ref>{{cite web|title=Are we losing the war on home-grown terror? |first=John |last=Ware|work=[[Standpoint (magazine)|Standpoint]] |date=24 October 2016 |url=http://standpointmag.co.uk/feature-november-2016-john-ware-prevent-programme-terrorism-home-grown/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126072854/http://standpointmag.co.uk/feature-november-2016-john-ware-prevent-programme-terrorism-home-grown/ |archive-date=26 January 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On 27 April 2016, the day after the Hillsborough inquest verdict that found the 96 Hillsborough deaths had occurred as a result of [[unlawful killing]], Burnham made a speech to the House of Commons calling for those responsible to be held to account. Condemning [[South Yorkshire Police]], which had instigated a cover-up in the aftermath of the tragedy, he described the force as being "rotten to the core" while suggesting that the cover-up had been "advanced in the committee rooms of this House and in the press rooms of 10 Downing Street". The eleven-minute statement drew applause from MPs, a response that is generally against convention at Westminster.<ref>{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Stuart |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/andy-burnhams-11-minute-speech-11252538 |title=Andy Burnham's 11-minute speech on Hillsborough that left the Commons silent – and drew a round of applause |publisher=Trinity Mirror |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |date=27 April 2016 |access-date=1 May 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501160139/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/andy-burnhams-11-minute-speech-11252538 |archive-date=1 May 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Charlie |last=Cooper |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hillsborough-verdict-andy-burnham-demands-south-yorkshire-police-chief-resigns-in-extraordinary-a7003536.html |title=Hillsborough verdict: Andy Burnham demands South Yorkshire police chief resigns in extraordinary speech |publisher=Independent Print Limited |newspaper=The Independent |date=27 April 2016 |access-date=1 May 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430031741/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hillsborough-verdict-andy-burnham-demands-south-yorkshire-police-chief-resigns-in-extraordinary-a7003536.html |archive-date=30 April 2016 }}</ref>

On 25 April 2017, as his final act in Parliament, he delivered an adjournment debate that lasted over an hour on the [[Contaminated blood scandal in the United Kingdom|Contaminated Blood Scandal]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Contaminated Blood – Hansard Online|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2017-04-25/debates/3AE7573D-7990-4A16-B375-A1AB786F90AE/ContaminatedBlood|website=hansard.parliament.uk|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905155012/http://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2017-04-25/debates/3AE7573D-7990-4A16-B375-A1AB786F90AE/ContaminatedBlood|archive-date=5 September 2017}}</ref> Burnham used the debate to present a raft of evidence stating "this scandal amounts to a criminal cover-up on an industrial scale" and that "these are criminal acts". He said that if the Government did not set up an Investigation into the scandal that he would refer his evidence to the police.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Weaver|first1=Matthew|title=Andy Burnham demands NHS contaminated blood inquiry|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/apr/26/andy-burnham-demands-nhs-contaminated-blood-inquiry|website=The Guardian|date=26 April 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525055527/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/apr/26/andy-burnham-demands-nhs-contaminated-blood-inquiry|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NHS contaminated blood was 'criminal cover-up' – Burnham|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39713396|website=BBC News|date=26 April 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528001035/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39713396|archive-date=28 May 2017}}</ref>

=== Labour's return to Government (2024-present) ===

Burnham voted for [[Keir Starmer]], who went on to win, in the [[2020 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2020 Labour Party leadership election]], saying in an interview with ''[[The Guardian]]'' that "Keir is a brilliant man. The fact he was a former [[Director of Public Prosecutions (England and Wales)|DPP]], and came to work in my shadow Home Office team with no airs and graces says a lot about Keir Starmer."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pidd |first=Helen |date=14 November 2020 |title=Andy Burnham: 'The real me comes out when I'm angry' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/14/andy-burnham-the-real-me-comes-out-when-im-angry |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022843/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/14/andy-burnham-the-real-me-comes-out-when-im-angry |archive-date=15 November 2020 |access-date=15 November 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> Following this perceived success, and several by-election losses for Labour in 2021,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Piper |first1=Elizabeth |last2=James |first2=William |last3=James |first3=William |date=2021-05-07 |title=Voters flock to PM Johnson's party as Labour loses bastion |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-johnsons-party-win-election-parliament-seat-2021-05-07/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref> Burnham was touted by many commentators as a potential future leader of the party.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kettle |first=Martin |date=2022-05-30 |title=Andy Burnham is a prime Labour leader candidate, but also a mayor. That's a problem |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/30/andy-burnham-labour-leader-candidate-mayor-problem-mess-of-westminster-rules |access-date=2023-12-13 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Who is Andy Burnham – King of the North or Next Labour Leader? |url=https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/andrew-burnham/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Politics.co.uk}}</ref> Burnham dismissed this speculation, calling it "annoying",<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-09-29 |title=Andy Burnham says Labour leader speculation is annoying |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-63073940 |access-date=2023-12-13 |work=BBC News}}</ref> but refused to rule out standing in the future.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jarvis |first=Chris |date=2023-08-23 |title=Andy Burnham refuses to rule out future Labour leadership bid |url=https://leftfootforward.org/2023/08/andy-burnham-refuses-to-rule-out-future-labour-leadership-bid/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Left Foot Forward: Leading the UK's progressive debate}}</ref> In September 2023, Burnham was ranked twelfth on the ''[[New Statesman]]''{{'s}} Left Power List, described as a "key dissenter" and a "crucial voice" in the party, as well as a potential future party leader.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Statesman |first=New |date=2023-05-17 |title=The New Statesman's left power list |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2023/05/the-new-statesmans-left-power-list |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=New Statesman}}</ref>

Starmer went on to win the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]], returning Labour to government. Burnham was a panelist for the ''[[Sky News]]'' coverage of the election, and called [[Jacob Rees-Mogg]] losing [[North East Somerset and Hanham]] to Labour's [[Dan Norris]] a [[Portillo moment]] that came shortly after Labour reached the 326 seats needed for a majority.<ref>{{cite news |date=4 July 2024 |title=Moment Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg defeated and loses seat in general election |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e9tsMa5ThU |work=[[Sky News]] |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Burnham was among a group of mayors to meet Starmer and then Deputy Prime Minister [[Angela Rayner]] in Downing Street.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-08 |title=Starmer and Rayner meet local leaders for devolution talks |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cml247l74zko |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> 

==== Labour leadership speculation ====
In September 2025, following the [[Angela Rayner tax scandal]] that led to her resignation and a [[2025 Labour Party deputy leadership election|Labour Party deputy leadership election]], the subsequent [[2025 British cabinet reshuffle|cabinet reshuffle]], and the dismissal of [[Peter Mandelson]] as [[British ambassador to the United States]] over the latter's association with [[Jeffrey Epstein]], criticisms of Starmer's leadership became more prominent within the Labour party. MPs reportedly viewed underperformance in the [[2026 United Kingdom local elections]] and [[next Senedd election]] as a likely catalyst for a leadership challenge.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |last2=Courea |first2=Eleni |last3=Crerar |first3=Pippa |author-link3=Pippa Crerar |date=12 September 2025 |title=Keir Starmer warned 'time running out' to repair faltering premiership |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/12/keir-starmer-warned-time-running-out-to-repair-faltering-premiership |access-date=12 September 2025 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>[[File:Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts Metro Mayors (53844204422).jpg|thumb|Burnham (left) in a meeting with Prime Minister [[Keir Starmer]] in July 2024]]In September 2025, a new network, [[Mainstream (political organisation)|Mainstream]], was formed within the Labour Party, to be a home for 'radical realists' within the party. The group has Burnham's backing.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Aletha |last= Adu  |date=2025-09-07 |title=Labour insiders form new centre-left network in bid to change party's direction |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/07/labour-insiders-form-new-centre-left-network-in-bid-to-change-partys-direction |access-date=2025-09-08 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> This raised the prospect of a possible leadership challenge.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Finkelstsein |first=Daniel |date=2025-09-16 |title=Come on Andy Burnham, get on with it |url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/come-on-andy-burnham-get-on-with-it-zw3krbvnl |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=The Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mata |first=William |date=2025-09-15 |title=Who is Andy Burnham? Manchester Mayor gets backing of Labour MPs to challenge Starmer |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/who-andy-burnham-labour-manchester-5HjdCzF_2/ |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=LBC |language=en}}</ref> He has been reported as a candidate in a possible [[by-election]] in [[Gorton and Denton (UK Parliament constituency)|Gorton and Denton]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eaton |first=George |date=2025-08-18 |title=Andy Burnham has become Labour's king over the water |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/labour/2025/08/andy-burnham-has-become-labours-king-over-the-water |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=New Statesman}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Donaldson |first=Kitty |date=2025-09-15 |title=Starmer allies eye deal with Burnham to avoid leadership challenge before election |url=https://inews.co.uk/opinion/keir-starmer-andy-burnham-deal-leadership-labour-reform-3919373 |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=The i Paper}}</ref> Burnham has said that any leadership challenge is up to Labour MPs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nevett |first=Joshua |date=2025-09-24 |title=Labour leadership up to the party, says Andy Burnham |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7v1m873mjyo |access-date=2025-09-25 |website=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Speaking to the Guardian at the [[Labour Party Conference|2025 Labour Party Conference]] in Liverpool, Burnham asserted that "all I've launched is a debate" about the direction of the party, noting that he was ineligible to make a leadership challenge as he is not an MP.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAPe461XGL8 |title=Andy Burnham in conversation with the Politics Weekly podcast – watch live |date=2025-09-29 |last=Guardian News |access-date=2025-09-29 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Two polls were released the same day; a YouGov/Sky News survey found that 62% of Labour members would support Burnham over Starmer,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Labour members would back Andy Burnham over Keir Starmer in head-to-head, exclusive YouGov poll finds |url=https://news.sky.com/video/labour-members-would-back-andy-burnham-over-keir-starmer-in-head-to-head-exclusive-yougov-poll-finds-13441098 |access-date=2025-09-29 |website=Sky News |language=en}}</ref> whilst a Survation poll found that Burnham would be the first choice of 43% of prospective Labour leaders, with the closest challenger being [[Wes Streeting]] at 9%.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2025-09-29 |title=Four in ten members would back Andy Burnham in a potential leadership election - exclusive poll |url=https://labourlist.org/2025/09/andy-burnham-approval-leadership-labourlist-survation-poll/ |access-date=2025-09-29 |website=LabourList |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Ideologically described as sitting on the [[soft left]] of the Labour Party, Mainstream describes itself as the home of Labour's "radical realists" and promotes a [[Democratic socialism|democratic socialist]] platform which includes the introduction of a [[wealth tax]], lifting the [[two-child benefit cap]] and the [[nationalisation]] of key public industries. According to its organisers, Mainstream is intended to serve as a [[Big tent|broad-church]] for Labour's [[Progressivism|progressive]] left, ranging from members on the [[Labour left]] to party [[Centrism|centrists]] associated with [[New Labour]], rather than a political faction or caucus. Its membership is formed from a broad alliance of Labour politicians on the [[Labour left]] and soft left, as well as the more progressive elements of New Labour. [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] [[Rachel Reeves]] compared these economic plans to [[September 2022 United Kingdom mini-budget|those]] of [[Liz Truss]] and [[Kwasi Kwarteng]].{{cn|date=September 2025}} He supports [[Potential re-accession of the United Kingdom to the European Union|rejoining the European Union]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Croft |first=Ethan |date=2025-09-29 |title=Andy Burnham: I want to rejoin the EU |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2025/09/andy-burnham-i-want-to-rejoin-the-eu |access-date=2025-10-08 |website=New Statesman |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Devlin |first=Kate |date=2025-09-29 |title=Burnham says he hopes UK rejoins EU as he hits back at Reeves and Starmer on economy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-brexit-reeves-starmer-labour-b2835906.html |access-date=2025-10-08 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> He has suggested the possibility of a [[land value tax]] and a revaluation of [[Council Tax|council tax]].<ref name=":0" />

==Mayor of Greater Manchester (2017–present)==
[[File:Burnham campaigning for mayor.jpg|thumb|upright|Burnham campaigning for mayor in 2016]]

===Candidacy and election===
On 5 May 2016, a spokesperson for Burnham confirmed that he had been approached by party officials in [[Greater Manchester]], asking him to consider resigning from the [[Shadow Cabinet of Jeremy Corbyn]] in order to run in the upcoming [[2017 Greater Manchester mayoral election|mayoral election in 2017]]. On 18 May 2016, he confirmed that he was running for Mayor.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McCann|first1=Kate|title=Andy Burnham confirms he will run for Mayor of Manchester |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/18/andy-burnham-confirms-he-will-run-for-mayor-of-manchester/|access-date=20 June 2016|date=18 May 2016|work=The Telegraph |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604135952/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/18/andy-burnham-confirms-he-will-run-for-mayor-of-manchester/ |archive-date=4 June 2016}}</ref> Burnham was selected as the Labour candidate in August 2016.<ref name="skyburnhamlabourmayor">{{cite web|title=Burnham Picked As Manchester Mayor Candidate|url=https://news.sky.com/story/burnham-picked-as-manchester-mayor-candidate-10528889|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809105703/https://news.sky.com/story/burnham-picked-as-manchester-mayor-candidate-10528889|archive-date=9 August 2016}}</ref> In September 2016, Burnham said that he would resign as Shadow Home Secretary once a replacement had been found, in order to concentrate on his mayoral bid.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/14769614.Labour_s_Andy_Burnham_quits_shadow_cabinet_to_focus_on_Manchester_mayoral_bid/?commentSort=oldest |title=Labour's Andy Burnham quits shadow cabinet to focus on Manchester mayoral bid |date=28 September 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001204056/http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/14769614.Labour_s_Andy_Burnham_quits_shadow_cabinet_to_focus_on_Manchester_mayoral_bid/?commentSort=oldest |archive-date=1 October 2016}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Diane Abbott]] in October. Burnham said, if elected as Greater Manchester's mayor, he would resign his seat as the member of parliament for [[Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)|Leigh]]. However, the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] was declared a fortnight before the mayoral election; Burnham did not stand as a candidate.<ref name="ITV190417">{{cite news|date=19 April 2017|title=Andy Burnham says he won't stand again as Leigh MP regardless of mayoral election outcome|work=ITV News|url=http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2017-04-19/andy-burnham-says-he-wont-stand-again-for-leigh-mp-regardless-of-mayoral-election-outcome/|url-status=live|access-date=19 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420005339/http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2017-04-19/andy-burnham-says-he-wont-stand-again-for-leigh-mp-regardless-of-mayoral-election-outcome/|archive-date=20 April 2017}}</ref> 

Burnham was elected to the new role of [[mayor of Greater Manchester]] on 5 May 2017. Upon taking office, he became entitled to the style of [[Mayor]].<ref>[[Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009]], s 107A(5).</ref> He received 63% of the vote, winning majorities in all ten of Greater Manchester's boroughs.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/andy-burnham-elected-greater-manchesters-12993211|title=Andy Burnham elected as Greater Manchester's mayor |last=Williams|first=Jennifer|date=5 May 2017|work=men|access-date=9 May 2017|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505165821/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/andy-burnham-elected-greater-manchesters-12993211|archive-date=5 May 2017}}</ref> In his mayoral victory speech he said that "[politics] has been too London-centric for too long … Greater Manchester is going to take control. We are going to change politics and make it work better for people."<ref name="Illingworth2017">{{cite news|last=Illingworth|first=James|title=Mayor Andy Burnham's victory speech – Manchester 1 Liverpool 0|url=http://www.wigantoday.net/news/mayor-andy-burnham-s-victory-speech-manchester-1-liverpool-0-1-8529694|access-date=16 May 2017|work=Wigan Today|date=5 May 2017|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505183532/http://www.wigantoday.net/news/mayor-andy-burnham-s-victory-speech-manchester-1-liverpool-0-1-8529694|archive-date=5 May 2017}}</ref>

In the [[2021 Greater Manchester mayoral election|election of 6 May 2021]], Burnham was re-elected as mayor, with 67% of the vote<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 May 2021|title=Andy Burnham is reelected mayor of Greater Manchester|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/08/andy-burnham-is-reelected-mayor-of-greater-manchester|access-date=8 May 2021|last=Pidd|first=Helen|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=8 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508152146/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/08/andy-burnham-is-reelected-mayor-of-greater-manchester|url-status=live}}</ref> on a turnout of 34.7%.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/labours-andy-burnham-re-elected-as-the-mayor-of-greater-manchester-with-landslide-win/ar-BB1gvzKP?ocid=uxbndlbing|title=Labour's Andy Burnham re-elected as the Mayor of Greater Manchester with landslide win|work=MSN|last=Boycott-Owen|first=Mason|date=9 May 2021|access-date=9 May 2021|archive-date=8 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508161437/https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/labours-andy-burnham-re-elected-as-the-mayor-of-greater-manchester-with-landslide-win/ar-BB1gvzKP?ocid=uxbndlbing|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election|2024 mayoral election]], Burnham was elected for a third term with 63.4% of the vote, on a turnout of 32.5%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Result 2024 |url=https://www.gmelects.org.uk/result-2024/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Greater Manchester Elects |language=en}}</ref> This was the first Greater Manchester Mayoral election to use the [[first-past-the-post]] voting system, with Burnham winning every constituency.{{citation needed|date=October 2025}}

===Homelessness and housing===
The issue of [[homelessness]] in Greater Manchester was a major focus of Burnham's mayoral campaign. He pledged to donate 15% of his mayoral salary to charities tackling homelessness if elected.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Williams|first1=Jennifer|title=Mayor candidate says he'll give 15pc of salary to fight homelessness |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/mayor-candidate-andy-burnham-says-12417660|access-date=16 May 2017|work=Manchester Evening News |date=6 January 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511134007/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/mayor-candidate-andy-burnham-says-12417660|archive-date=11 May 2017}}</ref> After his election he outlined his plan to launch a "homelessness fund", with money going to homeless charities and mental health and rehabilitation services.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Barnes|first1=Sophie|title=Burnham launches homelessness fund after election win|url=https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/burnham-launches-homelessness-fund-after-election-win-50586|access-date=10 January 2022|work=[[Inside Housing]]|date=8 May 2017|language=en|archive-date=10 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110135723/https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/burnham-launches-homelessness-fund-after-election-win-50586|url-status=live}}</ref> He pledged to end [[rough sleeping]] in Greater Manchester by 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bigissue.com/latest/andy-burnham-ill-end-rough-sleeping-in-manchester-by-2020/|title=Andy Burnham: I'll end rough sleeping in Greater Manchester by 2020|date=10 May 2017|website=The Big Issue|language=en|access-date=2 January 2020|archive-date=2 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102223735/https://www.bigissue.com/latest/andy-burnham-ill-end-rough-sleeping-in-manchester-by-2020/|url-status=live}}</ref> however, in November 2019 he admitted he would miss his target.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-50439777|title=Metro mayor may 'miss rough sleepers' target'|date=16 November 2019|website=BBC News|access-date=6 September 2021|language=en-GB|archive-date=17 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117161459/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-50439777|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Public transport ===
Main Article: [[Bee Network]]

In 2020, Burnham signed off on a new £10 yearly charge for pensioners who wished to continue to use their TFGM travel passes on the region's trains and trams.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/17815937.bus-firm-hits-new-10-charge-pensioners-travel/|title=Bus firm hits out at 'frustrating' new £10 charge for pensioners' travel|website=The Bolton News|date=6 August 2019 |language=en|access-date=2 January 2020|archive-date=2 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102223735/https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/17815937.bus-firm-hits-new-10-charge-pensioners-travel/|url-status=live}}</ref> The charge is said to help fund a London-style bus system. Pensioners in London get free travel on all public transport in London from the age of 60,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/blog/what-is-a-freedom-pass-and-at-what-age-can-you-get-it|title=What is a Freedom Pass and at what age can you get it?|website=Your Money Advice|language=en|access-date=2 January 2020|archive-date=2 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102223735/https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/blog/what-is-a-freedom-pass-and-at-what-age-can-you-get-it|url-status=live}}</ref> while Burnham kept the Manchester system linked to the much later state pension age.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/passes-for-older-people|title=Travel pass for older people|website=Transport for Greater Manchester|access-date=2 January 2020|archive-date=3 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200403172119/https://tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/passes-for-older-people|url-status=live}}</ref>

Burnham pledged to bring Manchester's bus network back into public ownership by 2025. The Mayor and Authority's plans were legally challenged by bus operators [[Stagecoach Group]] and [[Rotala]], but in March 2022 the Mayor and Authority won the case at the High Court. Media analysts commented that the ruling could pave the way for other city regions in England to regulate bus services that had been [[Bus deregulation in Great Britain|privatised since the 1980s]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-03-09 |title=Andy Burnham wins legal challenge over bus reform in Manchester |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/65efde50-6bd2-4aa1-9dbf-c62e88f12c25 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/65efde50-6bd2-4aa1-9dbf-c62e88f12c25 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-06-17}}</ref> Capped fares of £2 for adult single fares were introduced in September 2022, prior to the bus network becoming regulated.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-16 |title=Greater Manchester capped bus fares could start in September, mayor says |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-61824344 |access-date=2022-06-17}}</ref>

=== COVID-19 pandemic ===
In March 2020, Burnham called for clearer advice on slowing the spread of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]], citing his previous experience as health secretary during the [[2009 swine flu pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/andy-burnham-calls-on-government-to-house-all-homeless-people-now/|title=Andy Burnham calls on Government to house all homeless people now}}</ref> He welcomed the additional measures implemented across Greater Manchester and [[Lancashire]] by [[Secretary of State for Health and Social Care]] [[Matt Hancock]] in July during the pandemic, in the knowledge that (at the time) some areas across [[North West England]] had lower infection rates than the rest of the country.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/breaking-government-announce-major-greater-18691720|title=Government announce new Greater Manchester local lockdown measures|first1=Jennifer|last1=Williams|first2=Paul|last2=Britton|first3=Todd|last3=Fitzgerald|first4=John|last4=Shammas|date=31 July 2020|work=Manchester Evening News|access-date=31 July 2020|archive-date=30 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730220132/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/breaking-government-announce-major-greater-18691720|url-status=live}}</ref> 

On 15 October 2020, Burnham, along with other North West leaders, backed away from government talks to place Greater Manchester in tier 3 – the most restrictive level – of a new [[First COVID-19 tier regulations in England|three-tier categorisation]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/14/andy-burnham-resists-tier-3-restrictions-manchester-warning/|title=Andy Burnham resists Manchester's possible entry into Tier 3 lockdown and warns of legal action|work=The Telegraph|last=Roberts|first=Lizzie|date=14 October 2020|access-date=16 October 2020|archive-date=16 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016124446/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/14/andy-burnham-resists-tier-3-restrictions-manchester-warning/|url-status=live}}</ref> He cited the grants system for businesses and 80% furlough scheme for employees as insufficient, saying they would push people into poverty and destitution which would outweigh the impact of the virus if mitigated correctly.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Northern leaders including Andy Burnham reject new coronavirus furlough measures – they won't 'surrender residents to hardship' |last=Bardsley |first=Andrew |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/andy-burnham-coronavirus-furlough-scheme-19083669 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=10 October 2020 |access-date=16 October 2020 |archive-date=13 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013180157/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/andy-burnham-coronavirus-furlough-scheme-19083669 |url-status=live }}</ref> Many of the concerns such as the impact on businesses and employees were shared by local Conservative MPs in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Labour and Tory MPs in Greater Manchester refuse to support mass closure of pubs |last=Robson |first=Steve |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/labour-tory-mps-greater-manchester-19086449 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=11 October 2020 |access-date=16 October 2020 |archive-date=14 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014081017/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/labour-tory-mps-greater-manchester-19086449 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Manchester united: ministers' tier 3 talks enrage both Labour and Tories |last=Pidd |first=Helen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/15/manchester-united-ministers-tier-3-talks-enrage-both-labour-and-tories |work=The Guardian |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=16 October 2020 |archive-date=15 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015213437/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/15/manchester-united-ministers-tier-3-talks-enrage-both-labour-and-tories |url-status=live }}</ref> For his role of securing more money for local Northern communities during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], he was dubbed the "King of the [[Northern England|North]]" by the media.<ref name="Martin"/><ref name="The Telegraph"/><ref name="independent.co.uk"/><ref name="news.sky.com"/> However he did not secure as much extra money as he had wanted, being forced to lower his request for £90 million to £65 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nurse |first=Alex |title=Andy Burnham's standoff with London was always about more than just lockdown money |url=http://theconversation.com/andy-burnhams-standoff-with-london-was-always-about-more-than-just-lockdown-money-148594 |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=The Conversation |date=23 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Investigations into child sexual exploitation ===
Shortly after first being elected as Mayor in 2017, Burnham initiated a review of historical child sexual abuse allegations in Manchester and Rochdale, later expanding the scope of the investigation to Oldham. Part one of the review (focusing on Manchester) reported in 2020, part two (focusing on Oldham) reported in 2022, part three (focusing on Rochdale) reported in 2023 and part four (led by [[HMICFRS]] and covering the whole of Greater Manchester) reported in 2025.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/response-to-the-letter-of-interim-findings-on-greater-manchester-s-multi-agency-complex-safeguarding-peer-review-process-and-the-gmp-child-protection-inspection-report/|title=Update on CSE Assurance Review and the GMP Child Protection Inspection report|date=13 December 2024|access-date=10 January 2025|publisher=[[Greater Manchester Combined Authority]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=3 June 2025 |title=Final independent reports published into handling of child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester |url=https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/hmicfrs-and-ofsted-publish-final-independent-reports-into-current-handling-of-child-sexual-exploitation-in-greater-manchester/ |access-date=1 October 2025 |website=Greater Manchester Combined Authority}}</ref>

In January 2025, Burnham backed calls for a national [[public inquiry]] with limited scope into [[Grooming gangs scandal|group-based child sexual exploitation]] and the power to compel people to give evidence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jan/10/andy-burnham-calls-limited-national-inquiry-sexual-abuse-gangs|title=Andy Burnham joins calls for 'limited' national inquiry into sexual abuse gangs|date=10 January 2025|access-date=11 January 2025|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> This came a day after the House of Commons voted against a [[wrecking amendment]] to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill calling for an inquiry. The amendment, proposed by the Conservative Party, had been subject to a whip which prevented Labour MPs from supporting it.<ref name="cse-telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/09/politics-latest-news-keir-starmer-elon-musk-next-election/|title= Burnham breaks ranks with Starmer to back grooming gang inquiry |date=9 January 2025| access-date=10 January 2025|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref name="cse-bbc">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy09025erd3o|title=Burnham backs 'limited' national abuse inquiry |date=9 January 2025|access-date=10 January 2025|work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref name="cse-independent">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/lisa-nandy-andy-burnham-keir-starmer-greater-manchester-burnham-b2677171.html|title=Minister rejects Andy Burnham's call for new national grooming gangs inquiry|date=10 January 2025|access-date=10 January 2025|work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>

=== Greater Manchester baccalaureate ===
Main article: [[Greater Manchester baccalaureate]]

Upon his third re-election in 2024, Burnham expressed his wish to "give everyone growing up [in Manchester] an equal alternative to the university route"<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi7BKTldUbg |title=Andy Burnham speech in full as he's re-elected Greater Manchester mayor |date=2024-05-04 |last=Manchester Evening News |access-date=2025-09-29 |via=YouTube}}</ref> through the creation of a baccalaureate in collaboration with local and prospective businesses, in an attempt to provide certainty that young people in Greater Manchester have the skills needed by businesses in the area. The scheme, nicknamed the MBacc, aims to be fully operational by 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greater Manchester Combined Authority |title=Home |url=https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/work-and-skills/technical-education-city-region/the-greater-manchester-baccalaureate-mbacc/mbacc-a-2030-vision/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250720001625/https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/work-and-skills/technical-education-city-region/the-greater-manchester-baccalaureate-mbacc/mbacc-a-2030-vision/ |archive-date=2025-07-20 |access-date=2025-09-29 |website=Greater Manchester Combined Authority |language=en-GB}}</ref>  

==Political views==
Burnham has said that he joined the Labour Party at the age of 15 after having been "radicalised" by the [[1984–1985 United Kingdom miners' strike|UK miners' strike (1984–85)]].<ref name="theyworkforyou.com"/> Ideologically, he identifies as a [[socialist]].<ref>{{cite web|title="Why I am a Socialist", by the leadership candidates |url=http://www.nextleft.org/2010/06/why-i-am-socialist-by-leadership.html|publisher=Next Left|date=June 2010|access-date=6 September 2021|url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811211229/http://www.nextleft.org/2010/06/why-i-am-socialist-by-leadership.html|archive-date=11 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="Guardian1">{{cite news|last1=Stratton|first1=Allegra|last2=Wintour|first2=Patrick|title=Andy Burnham's Labour leadership bid based on a return to socialist values |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/jul/01/andy-burnham-labour-leadership-socialist-values|work=The Guardian|access-date=21 June 2016|date=1 July 2010|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413135445/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/jul/01/andy-burnham-labour-leadership-socialist-values|archive-date=13 April 2016}}</ref> In his [[2010 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2010 leadership bid]] Burnham emphasised his philosophy of "aspirational socialism",<ref name="Guardian1"/> which he described as [[Redistribution of income and wealth|redistributive]], [[collectivist]] and [[Internationalism (politics)|internationalist]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Andy Burnham launches "Aspirational Socialism" manifesto|url=http://labourlist.org/2010/08/andy-burnham-launches-aspirational-socialism-manifesto/|website=labourlist.org|publisher=[[LabourList]]|access-date=2 August 2015|date=23 August 2010|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019004601/http://labourlist.org/2010/08/andy-burnham-launches-aspirational-socialism-manifesto/|archive-date=19 October 2015}}</ref> He is a strong opponent of [[nationalism]], which he has described as an "ugly brand of politics".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13521497.Solidarity_not_separation_declares_Burnham_as_he_calls_Nationalism_an__ugly_brand_of_politics_/|title=Solidarity not separation declares Burnham as he calls Nationalism an "ugly brand of politics"|work=Herald Scotland|access-date=2 August 2015|date=31 July 2015|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924084733/http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13521497.Solidarity_not_separation_declares_Burnham_as_he_calls_Nationalism_an__ugly_brand_of_politics_/|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> In 2020, [[Iain Martin]] of ''[[The Times]]'' described Burnham as a "former [[Blairite]]" and associated with [[New Labour]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Iain |author-link=Iain Martin |date=17 October 2020 |title=Andy Burnham: Is the 'king of the north' unprincipled or the real deal? |language=en |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/andy-burnham-king-of-the-north-unprincipled-or-the-real-deal-wnllfqfrg |url-status=live |access-date=17 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214042429/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/andy-burnham-king-of-the-north-unprincipled-or-the-real-deal-wnllfqfrg?region=global |archive-date=14 December 2021 |quote=... Here was someone who had been singled out by the leadership class to carry the New Labour flame to a new generation. ... A serial leadership contestant since then, he came a distant second to Mr Corbyn in 2015. The decision to serve in what followed left the former Blairite pledging loyalty to a Marxist leadership amid a far-left takeover.}}</ref> In a 2010 interview with [[Andrew Marr]], Burnham said he was proud of his association with New Labour. As Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham has rejected the approach taken by New Labour on housing and transport but has remained committed to [[New Labour]]'s "[[tough on crime]]" approach.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Bush |first=Stephen |date=2021-06-30 |title=Andy Burnham: "I'm prepared to go back but as something different" |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2021/06/andy-burnham-im-prepared-to-go-back-but-as-something-different |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=[[New Statesman]]}}</ref> Politically, Burnham places himself on the [[soft left]] of the Labour Party.<ref name=":1" /> His politics have been described as soft left by a number of media outlets, including the ''[[Financial Times]]'', the ''[[New Statesman]]'', and ''[[LabourList]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/a623fd1e-393b-11e5-8613-07d16aad2152 |title=The soft left is the real threat to Labour |last=Ganesh |first=Janan |author-link=Janan Ganesh |date=3 August 2015 |website=[[FT.com]] |access-date=2 June 2020 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108161421/https://www.ft.com/content/a623fd1e-393b-11e5-8613-07d16aad2152 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2016/09/andy-burnham-quits-shadow-cabinet-lets-end-divisive-talk-deselections |title=Andy Burnham quits shadow cabinet: "Let's end divisive talk of deselections" |last=Rampen |first=Julia |date=28 September 2016 |website=[[New Statesman]] |access-date=2 June 2020 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108133953/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2016/09/andy-burnham-quits-shadow-cabinet-lets-end-divisive-talk-deselections |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://labourlist.org/2018/08/blairs-legacy-is-toxic-thats-why-we-need-a-soft-left-revival/ |title=Blair's legacy is toxic. That's why we need a soft left revival |last=Fisher |first=Trevor |date=15 August 2018 |website=[[LabourList]] |access-date=2 June 2020 |archive-date=15 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815095359/https://labourlist.org/2018/08/blairs-legacy-is-toxic-thats-why-we-need-a-soft-left-revival/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Burnham supports the use of [[all-women shortlists]] for parliamentary candidate selections.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fisher|first1=Lucy|title=The Government has a women problem – and its down to the feminist men to fix it|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/she-said/2014/apr/13/the-government-has-a-women-problem-and-its-down-to-the-feminist-men-to-fix-it|access-date=2 August 2015|work=The Guardian|date=13 April 2014|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009145520/http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/she-said/2014/apr/13/the-government-has-a-women-problem-and-its-down-to-the-feminist-men-to-fix-it|archive-date=9 October 2015}}</ref> He is a supporter of [[LGBT rights]] and voted in favour of [[same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom|same-sex marriage]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Andy Burnham MP, Leigh – Gay rights|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10766/andy_burnham/leigh/divisions?policy=826|publisher=TheyWorkForYou|access-date=2 August 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019004601/http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10766/andy_burnham/leigh/divisions?policy=826|archive-date=19 October 2015}}</ref> In an interview in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' in October 2007, Burnham said: "I think it's better when children are in a home where their parents are married" and "it's not wrong that the tax system should recognise commitment and marriage".<ref name="Telegraph_15Oct07">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1566036/Marriage-is-important%2C-children-do-notice.html |title=Marriage is important, children do notice |last=Sylvester |first=Rachel |author2=Thomson, Alice |date=15 October 2007 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=12 October 2008 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1566036/Marriage-is-important%2C-children-do-notice.html |archive-date=30 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In his 2015 leadership bid, Burnham pledged to commit Labour to "a policy of progressive [[Impact of the privatisation of British Rail#Political positions post-privatisation|renationalisation of the railway system]]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Andy Burnham Newsnight Interview Reveals Labour Leadership Hopeful Would Renationalise The Railways |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/07/28/andy-burnham-newsnight-interview-reveals-labour-leadership-_n_7891970.html|access-date=2 August 2015|work=Huffington Post|date=29 July 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801012321/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/07/28/andy-burnham-newsnight-interview-reveals-labour-leadership-_n_7891970.html|archive-date=1 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Andy Burnham pledges to renationalise railway network|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33780754|access-date=5 August 2015|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=4 August 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150807161848/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33780754|archive-date=7 August 2015}}</ref> Burnham also favours a universal [[graduate tax]] to replace [[Tuition fees in the United Kingdom|student tuition fees]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Andy Burnham plans commission for graduate tax and 'care levy'|url=https://www.politicshome.com/health-and-care/articles/story/andy-burnham-plans-commission-graduate-tax-and-care-levy#sthash.LNiYXqc4.dpuf|website=PoliticsHome.com|access-date=2 August 2015|date=28 July 2015|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816135735/https://www.politicshome.com/health-and-care/articles/story/andy-burnham-plans-commission-graduate-tax-and-care-levy#sthash.LNiYXqc4.dpuf|archive-date=16 August 2015}}</ref> and voted{{when|date=October 2025}} against the most recent increase in fees.{{citation needed|date=October 2025}} He has advocated a [[National Care Service]], integrating care services into the National Health Service.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Burke|first1=Stephen|title=National care service – what's the big idea?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2009/oct/02/national-social-care-service-general-election|access-date=2 August 2015|work=The Guardian|date=2 October 2009|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011180139/http://www.theguardian.com/society/2009/oct/02/national-social-care-service-general-election|archive-date=11 October 2015}}</ref> In his leadership bid, Burnham's key economic policies included a new levy to fund social care, extending the [[National Living Wage|higher minimum wage]] to under-25s, and banning [[zero-hour contract]]s.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theweek.co.uk/labour-leader/64691/andy-burnhams-ten-key-economic-policies |title=Andy Burnham's ten key economic policies |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822233313/http://www.theweek.co.uk/labour-leader/64691/andy-burnhams-ten-key-economic-policies |archive-date=22 August 2015}}</ref> Burnham described the [[mansion tax]] proposed by [[Ed Miliband]] as "the politics of envy", saying he knew it would lose votes when his mother phoned and told him it represented a return to the 1970s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/andy-burnham/11689425/Andy-Burnham-I-knew-spiteful-mansion-tax-was-toxic-when-mum-phoned-to-complain.html|title=Andy Burnham: I knew 'spiteful' mansion tax was toxic when Mum phoned to complain|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925124526/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/andy-burnham/11689425/Andy-Burnham-I-knew-spiteful-mansion-tax-was-toxic-when-mum-phoned-to-complain.html|archive-date=25 September 2015}}</ref>

Burnham is a strong supporter of [[devolving]] power and, in his 2015 leadership campaign, criticised the "[[Westminster Bubble]]" – the London-centric focus in British politics and perceived detachment from life outside Westminster.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pidd|first1=Helen |title=Andy Burnham: 'I've never been part of the Westminster in-crowd'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/11/andy-burnham-profile-never-westminster-in-crowd|access-date=16 May 2017|work=The Guardian|date=11 August 2015|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504220613/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/11/andy-burnham-profile-never-westminster-in-crowd|archive-date=4 May 2017}}</ref> Some opponents and political commentators accused him of being a part of the same bubble he criticises.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cowley|first1=Jason|title=Andy Burnham thinks he is an outsider but he's really just another member of the Guild|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/06/andy-burnham-thinks-he-outsider-he-s-really-just-another-member-guild|access-date=16 May 2017|work=New Statesman|date=24 June 2015|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703182510/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/06/andy-burnham-thinks-he-outsider-he-s-really-just-another-member-guild|archive-date=3 July 2017}}</ref> He views devolution of powers to Greater Manchester (including its elected mayor) as an opportunity for [[urban regeneration]]. He also called for a focus on Northern identity.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Burnham|first1=Andy|title=Andy Burnham: northern devolution should follow the example of Wales, not Scotland |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/devolution/2017/03/andy-burnham-northern-devolution-should-follow-example-wales-not|work=New Statesman|date=1 March 2017|language=en |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316132516/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/devolution/2017/03/andy-burnham-northern-devolution-should-follow-example-wales-not|archive-date=16 March 2017}}</ref> After he was elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester, he described the new powers for northern cities as "the dawn of a new era".<ref name="Illingworth2017" /> Burnham feels the government does not invest enough money in the North of England, saying: "Almost five years after the government promised us a northern powerhouse, we learn that public spending in the north has fallen while rising in the south. This has got to stop and it is time that the north came to the front of the queue for public investment".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/05/north-continues-to-see-bigger-cuts-in-public-spending-report-finds |title=North of England continues to see bigger cuts in public spending, report finds |date=5 December 2018 |last=Moss |first=Molly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205090335/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/05/north-continues-to-see-bigger-cuts-in-public-spending-report-finds |archive-date=5 December 2018 |url-status=live |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

Burnham is a supporter of an elected [[House of Lords]] and for switching elections to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] to a form of [[proportional representation]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bright |first=Sam |date=25 April 2022 |title=Andy Burnham We Need a 'Complete Rewiring' of Britain's Political System |url=https://bylinetimes.com/2022/04/25/andy-burnham-we-need-a-complete-rewiring-of-britains-political-system |work=Byline Times}}</ref>

=== ''Head North'' ===
In 2024, Burham co-authored ''Head North: A Rallying Cry for a More Equal Britain'' with Liverpool's metro mayor [[Steve Rotheram]].<ref name="headnorth">{{cite book |last1=Burnham |first1=Andy |title=Head North: A Rallying Cry for a More Equal Britain |last2=Rotheram |first2=Steve |last3=Thorp |first3=Liam |publisher=Orion Publishing Group, Limited |year=2024 |isbn=9781398719736 |oclc=1427635577 |quote=“When opportunities open up right in front of you, for God's sake, make sure you take them”}}</ref> The book was described by Benjamin Myers for "the Observer" as "offer[ing] hope to the northern regions when it is most needed, and remind[ing] us that those politicians who refuse to toe the party line are often those who history remembers most favourably."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Myers |first1=Benjamin |date=7 April 2024 |title=Head North by Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram review – northern mayors' manifesto for hope |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/07/head-north-by-andy-burnham-and-steve-rotheram-review-a-rallying-cry-for-a-more-equal-britain |access-date=3 June 2024 |newspaper=The Observer}}</ref> In contrast, it was described by Jonathan Ball in the ''[[New Statesman]]'' as simplifying the [[North–South divide in England]] to "'London elite' vs 'neglected north' caricatures".<ref name="Ball">{{cite news |last1=Ball |first1=Jonny |date=11 March 2024 |title=Battle cry of the Scouse dads |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2024/03/battle-cry-of-the-scouse-dads |access-date=28 March 2024 |work=New Statesman}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Burnham married Marie-France van Heel, who is Dutch,<ref>{{cite news|title=The reality of a dream job|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jan/28/media.politicsandthearts|access-date=29 September 2014|work=Guardian|date=28 January 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006155340/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jan/28/media.politicsandthearts|archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> in 2000, having been in a relationship since university.<ref name="Telegraph_15Oct07" /> The couple have a son and two daughters. 

Burnham was brought up as a [[Roman Catholic]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Keep the faith, Andy Burnham tells NHS and Church|last=Merrick|first=Jane|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=22 July 2013 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keep-the-faith-andy-burnham-tells-nhs-and-church-8547060.html|date=24 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keep-the-faith-andy-burnham-tells-nhs-and-church-8547060.html|archive-date=30 June 2009}}</ref> In the 2015 leadership contest he praised [[Pope Francis]], but urged him to promote a progressive stance on [[gay rights]].<ref name="faith2">{{cite news |last1=Saul|first1=Heather|title=Andy Burnham urges Pope Francis to back same-sex marriage and bring the Catholic Church 'into the 21st century' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/andy-burnham-urges-pope-francis-to-back-samesex-marriage-and-bring-the-catholic-church-into-the-21st-century-10278937.html |access-date=10 July 2015|work=The Independent|date=27 May 2015|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721223315/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/andy-burnham-urges-pope-francis-to-back-samesex-marriage-and-bring-the-catholic-church-into-the-21st-century-10278937.html|archive-date=21 July 2015}}</ref> In a newspaper interview during the contest he stated that he had been repeatedly at odds with the Catholic Church all the time that he had been an MP and that this had resulted in strained personal relationships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/06/25/interview-andy-burnham-addresses-hurtful-attacks-on-his-equality-record/ |title=Interview: Andy Burnham addresses 'hurtful' attacks on his equality record |publisher=Pinknews.co.uk |date=25 June 2015 |access-date=19 July 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820220726/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/06/25/interview-andy-burnham-addresses-hurtful-attacks-on-his-equality-record/ |archive-date=20 August 2016}}</ref> Burnham has a brother, Nick, who is the principal of [[Cardinal Newman College]] in Preston.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shennan |first1=Paddy |title=Andy Burnham: 'I hope my Hillsboro work gives people confidence to vote for me' |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/andy-burnham-i-hope-work-9526070 |access-date=29 January 2025 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=25 June 2015 |language=en}}</ref>

Burnham is a supporter of [[rugby league]] and was the honorary chairman of [[Leigh Centurions]] for a short time and is now an honorary vice-president. Burnham was a talented junior cricketer (playing for [[Lancashire CCC]] Juniors) and keen footballer, and competed at both sports for his college. He has played for Labour's "Demon Eyes" football team and is a lifelong fan of [[Premier League]] football club [[Everton F.C.|Everton]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2118788.stm |title=Andy Burnham |date=22 October 2002 |work=BBC News |access-date=11 October 2008 |author=Labour MP |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2118788.stm |archive-date=30 June 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-the-mr-nice-guy-who-talked-his-way-into-a-nasty-situation-851018.html |title=Andy Burnham: The Mr Nice Guy who talked his way into a nasty situation |last=Brown |first=Colin |date=20 June 2008 |work=The Independent |publisher=[[Independent News & Media]] |access-date=11 October 2008 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090630013226/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-the-mr-nice-guy-who-talked-his-way-into-a-nasty-situation-851018.html |archive-date=30 June 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2003, Burnham played for [[National League (division)|Conference]] club [[Leigh RMI]] in a pre-season [[Exhibition game#Association football|friendly]] against Everton.<ref name="RMIFriendly">{{cite news |url=http://www.evertonfc.com/match/index.php?page_id=1069 |title=Leigh RMI 1-1 Everton |date=26 July 2003 |work=EvertonFC.com |publisher=Everton Football Club |access-date=7 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031003040112/http://www.evertonfc.com/match/index.php?page_id=1069 |archive-date=3 October 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He came on as an 88th minute [[Substitute (association football)|substitute]] for [[Neil Robinson (footballer, born 1979)|Neil Robinson]] in the 1–1 draw at [[Hilton Park (stadium)|Hilton Park]].<ref name="RMIFriendly"/> His entry in ''[[Who's Who (UK)|Who's Who]]'' lists his recreations as football ([[Everton F.C.]]), [[Rugby league]] ([[Leigh Leopards|Leigh RLC]]) and [[cricket]].<ref name=whoswho/>

In December 2017 it was announced that Burnham would succeed Dean Andrew as president of the [[Rugby Football League]] in July 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/11180144/mayor-of-greater-manchester-andy-burnham-named-new-rfl-president |title=Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham named new RFL president |work=Sky Sports |date=21 December 2017 |access-date=22 December 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222223229/http://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/11180144/mayor-of-greater-manchester-andy-burnham-named-new-rfl-president |archive-date=22 December 2017}}</ref> Burnham was replaced by [[Tony Adams]] as president of the league in the summer of 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/dec/12/former-arsenal-captain-tony-adams-appointed-rugby-league-president|title=Tony Adams to become new president of Rugby Football League|work=The Guardian|date=12 December 2018|access-date=12 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212180952/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/dec/12/former-arsenal-captain-tony-adams-appointed-rugby-league-president|archive-date=12 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Burnham was ordered to pay £1,984 in fines, charges, and costs and given six penalty points after he had admitted to speeding on a section of road with a temporarily lowered speed limit in July 2022.<ref>{{cite news|last=Badshah|first=Nadeem |title=Andy Burnham fined and given six penalty points for speeding on M62|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/mar/25/andy-burnham-fined-six-penalty-points-speeding-m62|date=25 March 2023|access-date=25 March 2023|work=The Guardian}}</ref>

==In media==
Burnham was portrayed by [[Matthew McNulty]] in ''[[Anne (British TV series)|Anne]]'' (2022), an [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] miniseries about the [[Hillsborough disaster]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/itvs-anne-viewers-agreement-andy-22659456|title=ITV's Anne viewers all in agreement on Andy Burnham|journal=Liverpool Echo|first=Kate|last=Lally|date=5 January 2022|accessdate=10 January 2022}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Twitter|id=AndyBurnhamGM|name=Andy Burnham}}
*{{UK MP links|parliament=andy-burnham/1427|hansard=mr-andy-burnham|hansardcurr=2376 |guardian=10993/andy-burnham|publicwhip=Andy_Burnham|theywork=andy_burnham|record= Andy-Burnham/Leigh/754|bbc=25787.stm|journalisted=andy-burnham}}

===Audio clips===
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/election/ram/leigh.ram Interview with GMR after 2005 election] BBC Manchester

===Video clips===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ13ciVfPaM Delivering 18 week NHS target] YouTube
*{{C-SPAN|1000692}}

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{{Labour Party leadership election, 2010}}
{{2015 Labour Party leadership election}}{{2010 Labour Party shadow cabinet election}}{{New Labour}}{{One Nation Labour}}{{Brown Cabinet}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Burnham, Andrew}}
[[Category:Andy Burnham| ]]
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