It’s not a job that looks very attractive, considering the longevity of those recently in post. The UK may soon have its 6^th Prime Minister in 10 years, compared to the previous 30 years it took to have the same number – from Callaghan in 1976 to Cameron leaving office in 2016. Given Burnham’s two previous attempts at Labour leadership, this clearly doesn’t worry him. 

But who is he, what are his policies and which direction does he plan to take a country that seems more divided than ever.

A Merseyside man and champion of the North who I became aware of during my time at the University of Manchester, Burnham was first elected Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017 and has since been the face of some relative wins for the city and the greater combined authority. His defiance and willingness to challenge No. 10’s Covid rules in the face of what he described as business-restrictive and financially unfair policies proved popular. More recently, the Bee Network which brought the city’s bus network back under public control and with that, critically, more regulated pricing has been a flagship policy underlining Burnham’s leadership ability.

In a recent profile on Burnhamism, Joshi Herrmann, Founder of Mill Media, wrote about the Andy Burnham he has come to know over the six years he has been publishing Manchester-focused title The Mill. The piece analyses his policy wins and losses, shares insights from former and close collaborators and stands as the most researched and clear profile of Burnham, to date. It’s a definite reminder of the importance of local journalism and long-form writing. 

For some, Burnham has come out of obscurity, an unlikely challenger to the better-known-to-the-market Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband and Wes Streeting, and one whose distinction from Keir Starmer remains unclear. He has already had to row back on previous comments about the bond markets, actively reassuring investors on fiscal discipline. 

With recent appearances missed or cancelled at short notice, such as a recent call with hedge fund bosses, or a meeting of mayors with Keir Starmer, some may say Burnham has been inconsistent in building out a brand and vision as a national leader through clear communication. This is likely a deliberate choice, but it sits remarkably close to the criticisms of the Starmer Government that Burnham wishes to topple.

If Burnham does succeed in returning to Westminster, he could take lessons from where Starmer and his advisers have failed, by radically improving his communications and setting out a clear vision for what he believes needs to happen to tackle some of the systemic problems facing the country. Political leadership requires the same discipline necessary in financial communications – a clear, consistent communication of core policies and a precise, achievable roadmap. Without this, voters will remain disenchanted and questions around the strength of the mandate that a potential Burnham ministry has, will plague him all the way to the next general election.