ARTICLE · JULY 18, 2026
Ruthless plotter or dad dancer? Insiders reveal the real Andy Burnham
A portrait of Andy Burnham assembled from two dozen insiders — charming, ambitious, genuinely liked, and still largely unreadable as a prime minister.
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01 / 05
He looks cuddly to the public but he is a total hammer.
paragraph beginning 'Highlighting the example'
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02 / 05
Andy? He's like a lorry on ice.
paragraph beginning 'One of his old bosses, Alistair Darling'
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Wanting to be liked when you are prime minister can be a distraction — it can be destabilising when the inevitable happens and you are not popular.
paragraph beginning 'Talking about Burnham's desire to be popular'
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It feels like a family wedding — but it depends what happens after. Andy can't just give the love to everyone.
paragraph beginning 'The atmosphere right now is hopeful'
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05 / 05
We've set the bar so low removing Starmer over bad poll ratings — now Andy's set expectations too high for himself. He has always made a grand entrance.
paragraph beginning 'Another minister worries the removal of Sir Keir'