Andy Burnham was elected Leader of the Labour Party in July 2026 and now serves as our country’s eighth Labour Prime Minister. Throughout his career, he has been determined to bring communities together, put power back in people’s hands, and right the wrongs of the historic injustices many have faced.

Born in Lancashire and then growing up near Warrington, Andy was first elected as the MP for Leigh in Greater Manchester in June 2001. During his time in Parliament, he previously served in government as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Culture Secretary, and Health Secretary.

In opposition, Andy served in the shadow education, health and home affairs briefs, holding the Conservative Government to account.

Andy has led the way in challenging the status quo and campaigning on behalf of the victims and families of historic injustices – most notably the Hillsborough families and all those affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

Andy left Parliament in 2017 and was elected as the first ever Mayor of Greater Manchester. He went on to serve for nearly a decade in this crucial role and has a proud record of delivery, which he achieved by working side by side with communities right across the region.

During his Mayoralty, Andy brought buses back into public ownership and established the famous “Bee Network”, unlocked massive investment for regeneration and new homes, and secured the largest ever transfer of powers from Westminster to Greater Manchester. Andy’s plan delivered for every borough in the region, leading to Greater Manchester becoming the fastest growing city region in the UK.

As Mayor, Andy led Greater Manchester through some incredibly tough times, including the aftermath of the Manchester Arena terorrist attack and the Covid crisis. The tenacity and courage of the people of Greater Manchester made him the leader he is today

In July 2026, Andy won the Makerfield By-election with a resounding victory over the opposition parties, through a campaign with hope at its heart.

During the 2026 Labour Leadership election, Andy won the support of the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs, trade unions, and affiliate organisations.

Andy is clear that he is bringing about a new kind of politics. Politics that focuses on problem solving, not point scoring. By working together, not pulling apart. He is driven by the need to address problems which have gone unsolved for far too long and standing up for places that have too often been left behind. He is determined to drive power out of Westminster and into every postcode in Britain, help families with the cost of living, and fix long term problems like the broken social care system.

Together with his Labour Government, working alongside every communty right across the country, he is determined to bring hope back to Britain.