Andy Burnham’s (third) bid for the Labour leadership
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is The Guardian.
What is Andy Burnham's current political situation?
Today, the Mancunian candidate, Andy Burnham. There's been weeks of talk about Andy Burnham being the hottest thing in British politics. After months, or let's face it, a whole career, of building up to this moment, the Mayor of Greater Manchester is fighting to win.
I'm in the campaign. I'm fighting to win it with your support and with the support of the great people of this constituency.
First, in the Makerfield by-election. And then, well, to become the next Labour Prime Minister.
A vote for me in this by-election campaign is a vote to change Labour.
Burnham mania is a real thing. He consistently polls higher than any other Labour politician. He seems likeable. He can talk to people. He's got great eyelashes. But behind the hype is one small question. What does Andy Burnham actually believe in? In October, Burnham said Britain shouldn't be in hock to bond markets when deciding how to spend money. More recently, he's been walking that back.
I have never said you can just ignore the bond markets.
Why is Andy Burnham considered a potential Labour leader?
I said that politicians have placed Britain in hock.
He once said that he wanted the UK back in the EU.
I'm going to be honest, I'm going to say it. I hope in my lifetime I see this country rejoined.
And now, as Makerfield looms into view, it's not so much his thing.
The last thing we should do right now is rerun those arguments.
And if he thought Andy Burnham would be Labour's liberal voice on immigration and asylum... We've always played a part in terms of welcoming people in the past.
We stand ready to do so going forward.
Well, it turns out he now backs the Home Secretary's tough crackdown too.
I've said, you know, the thrust of what she's doing is right.
So come on then, who is the real Andy Burnham? And how did he get here? From The Guardian, I'm Nosheen Iqbal. Today in Focus, third time's a charm, why Andy Burnham is tipped to be the future of the Labour Party.
Josh Halliday, welcome back to Today in Focus.
Thank you.
You're the Guardian's North of England editor and you've met Andy Burnham, spent quite a bit of time with him during his morality of Manchester. What's your impression of him?
Andy Burnham is quite unusual for a top politician. He actually responds to your text. He picks up the phone. He calls you mate when you answer. He's very sort of chummy. But I think, you know, that is very much seen as quite an affable politician. You know, somebody who could walk down the street, have conversations with ordinary people, which not that many politicians in this era can. He's not a suit and tie sort of politician. I've seen fashion articles about him, which is odd for a mayor, because they're very unsexy roles. He's kind of built his own brand, I suppose, in the last 10 years as mayor of Greater Manchester.
You mentioned fashion. Of course, I think there was this piece in Vogue which asked, why do we all fancy Andy Burnham? So it kind of gives us a sense of this fever almost around him. You know, it's kind of gripping politics right now. Josh, why is he suddenly being touted as the saviour of the Labour Party?
I think he's built up this persona and he's very deliberately done this over the course of his time in Greater Manchester, but particularly during COVID as speaking for the world outside Westminster. And that's led to some calling him the King of the North. Some wrongly say self-styled King of the North. He's never styled himself as King of the North. That would be quite shameless, wouldn't it? But I think he likes the title. He's expressed multiple times that politics doesn't work for most of the country. We live in far too much of a London-centric, over-centralised political system. But over the last few weeks, Burnham has been telling people that he's the only person who can save this country from Reform UK, which sounds like a big claim to make in a time when reform's so far ahead in the polls and Labour looks doomed, to be honest, in the next general election.
But, you know, what he believes and his allies believe is that he can speak to the people who are turning to reform.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:08
2
What is Andy Burnham's current political situation?
0:08–1:32
3
Why is Andy Burnham considered a potential Labour leader?
1:32–5:19
4
What beliefs and values does Andy Burnham hold?
5:19–11:01
5
How did Andy Burnham's early life shape his political career?
11:01–29:46