Who is Andy Burnham? Net worth, is he an MP, who is his wife, could he be the next Prime Minister - as he outlines 'turn the country around' vision
Andy Burnham has said that MPs are privately urging him to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Burnham outlined his vision for "turn the country around," which includes a higher council tax on some homes in southern England and a 50p top rate of income tax. He said that there was a "huge underpayment of tax that should now be corrected" in London and the South East as the rates were based on property valuations from 1991.
Starmer has faced criticism over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite Mandelson’s links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He has also faced challenges including the resignation of Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister, and a sustained lag behind Reform UK in the polls.
This has all fuelled questions about his leadership. Burnham insisted he is not plotting an immediate return to the Commons or wanting to step on the Government’s toes as it seeks a reset at the Labour Party conference.
But in another interview on Wednesday, the 55-year-old mayor told the New Statesman that the gathering in Liverpool starting on Sunday must answer the question "where is our plan to turn the country around?". “I’m going to put the question back to people at Labour conference: are we up for that wholesale change?" he said.
He added: "I’m happy to play any role. I am ready to play any role in that. Yes. Because the threat we’re facing is increasingly an existential one”.
He also signalled openness to working with the Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Corbyn, and told the Telegraph he supports proportional representation to encourage cooperation within what he called the "progressive majority". Asked if MPs had urged him to run for the top job, he said: "People have contacted me throughout the summer...
"I’m not going to say to you that that hasn’t happened, but as I say, it’s more a decision for those people than it is for me." Suggesting he still harbours ambitions for No 10, he said: "I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesn’t it?”.
Who is Andy Burnham?
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was born in Culcheth, Cheshire. His father was a telephone engineer father and his mother a receptionist.
He joined the Labour Party at 14 and he began his working-life as a researcher to Labour Party politicians. Upon becoming a Labour MP in 2001, Mr Burnham took on junior Government roles and soon rose up the ranks.
By the time Gordon Brown became PM, Burnham was Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2007-2008). He then became Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2008-2009) and, finally, Secretary of Health (2009-2010).
Following two failed runs for the Labour Leadership in 2010 and 2015, Burnham became shadow Home Secretary under Jeremy Corbyn before resigning in 2016 to run for Mayor of Greater Manchester. Burnham first won election as Greater Manchester Mayor in 2017, a position through which he has increased his national political status significantly.
He was re-elected in 2021 securing 67.3% of the vote. Following his convincing election victory in the Manchester mayoral elections in May 2021, and against the background of continuing struggles by the Labour Party in the North and Midlands, Andy Burnham became the bookmaker’s favourite to become the next Labour leader.
Under the Labour Party’s rules, a candidate for the party leadership needs to be a Member of Parliament, which is clearly currently a barrier for Mr Burnham.
Is he married?
Mayor Burnham met his future wife, Marie-France van Heel, at Cambridge University. They tied the knot in 2000. Van Heel has been CEO of the London-based firm Heavenly, which is said to have designed logos for HSBC, England Rugby and the BBC.
She reportedly appeared on ‘Blind Date’ while she and Burnham were still courting. Burnham is a big Everton fan (he was born in Liverpool). His net worth is reportedly estimated to be between one and three million - sources include mayoral salary, book royalties, and past parliamentary earnings.