AFTER Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced he would stand down, the frontrunner to replace him is Andy Burnham, a man with plenty of local connections.
Mr Burnham, a former Leigh MP and Mayor of Greater Manchester, was elected as MP for Makerfield last week to mark a return to Parliament.
He is a figure who is well known in Leigh and still has strong links to the town.
Andrew Murray Burnham was born on January 7, 1970, in Aintree, Liverpool, rising from a working-class background to become Mayor of Greater Manchester – a role he has held since 2017 With a career spanning cabinet government, opposition frontbenches, and regional leadership, Burnham has become known as a voice for the north of England.
He also has ties to the Warrington area.
Shortly after his birth, his father – a BT telephone engineer – landed a new job in Manchester city centre, and the family relocated to Culcheth.
It was there that Burnham spent his formative years, attending St Lewis Catholic Primary School before moving on to secondary education.
For his secondary schooling, Burnham crossed into neighbouring Newton-le-Willows, attending St Aelred's Roman Catholic High School, now known as Hope Academy.
He has spoken warmly of the school, crediting an inspirational English teacher with encouraging him to aim for Cambridge University.
His parents, Roy and Eileen, lived in Culcheth for many years; his father was still resident there as recently as 2010, when he spoke about his son's Labour leadership bid.
From 2001 to 2017, Burnham served as MP for Leigh.
During his 16 years representing the seat, he served in Government as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Culture Secretary, and Health Secretary under Gordon Brown.
He still lives around Leigh today and is known for being a big Leigh Leopards rugby league supporter.
First elected Greater Manchester Mayor in May 2017 and re-elected for a third term in May 2024, Burnham has championed investment across the north west.
One of his most significant projects with direct implications for the area is a proposed new Liverpool–Manchester railway, which he has been pushing alongside Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.
Burnham has also been part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail board, confirmed in January 2026.
In addition, Burnham has long been a campaigner for justice over the Hillsborough disaster. Among the victims of the disaster was 18-year-old Carl Brown, from Leigh.
Burnham is a centre-left Labour politician who describes himself as a democratic socialist, committed to reducing inequality and devolving power away from Westminster to regions and communities.
He has often positioned himself as a pragmatic reformer, backing public ownership of key services such as rail and buses, while focusing on tangible outcomes for working people.
Though he twice ran for the Labour leadership in 2010 and 2015, he lost both contests.
Share