Show Notes
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has staked his political future on winning the Makerfield by-election - and, potentially, a tilt at becoming Prime Minister. But who is Burnham, and how did he get here? In this special episode of Northern Spin, co-hosts Chris Maguire and Frank McKenna profile the man dubbed the King of the North. They discuss: • How Boys from the Blackstuff changed the direction of his life • His lifelong love affair with music, Everton FC and politics • Why Hillsborough became a personal crusade • Walking away from Westminster after losing two Labour leadership contests • Becoming Greater Manchester Mayor and building the King of the North brand • Standing up to Boris Johnson’s government during Covid • His successes and failures as Mayor • Why it’s sh*t or bust for Burnham and Labour in Makerfield Northern Spin is a joint production from BusinessCloud and Downtown in Business. It is produced by Dan Brown of Renowned.
Chapters: 00:55 – The Man Behind the Mayor: Who Is Andy Burnham? 02:42 – How He Became a Great Communicator (He Wasn't Always) 04:23 – Born in Liverpool: Burnham's Origin Story 06:07 – The Hillsborough Moment 07:42 – Why Liverpool Was So Angry - and What Burnham Did About It 10:37 – Turning His Back on Westminster: Why He Chose Manchester 12:20 – First Day as Mayor 12:47 – Giving Away 15% of His Salary 14:56 – Winning Over a Room of Skeptical Business Leaders 18:11 – Stuck on the M6 but Still Shows Up 21:33 – Great Communicator or Instinctive Politician? The Key Difference 25:47 – Getting it right 28:19 – Soft Power & What It Means on a National Stage 31:10 – Andy's character 32:57 – Why He Hates the Word "Celebrity" 33:30 – The Quote on His Office Wall That Explains Everything He Does 34:31 – Why He's Going Back to Westminster - and Why Now
More from Northern Spin
The problems are mounting for Andy Burnham ahead of his first Labour Party Conference as Prime Minister. After a positive first two months in Downing Street, the economic picture is becoming more challenging. Government borrowing has risen, inflation is above 3% and the Government’s fiscal headroom is under increasing pressure ahead of the October Budget. On the eve of Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Northern Spin hosts Chris Maguire and Frank McKenna ask whether Burnham can turn the good vibes of his first weeks in office into the tough decisions demanded by government. Is he prepared to tackle politically difficult issues such as the pension triple lock, tax rises and welfare spending? Or was former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane right to warn that financial markets risk seeing Burnham’s administration as a 'traditional tax and spend socialist government with better TikTok videos'? In this episode, Maguire and McKenna also discuss: Is the PM putting too many of his eggs in the devolution basket? What can we expect from October’s Budget? Reform and the donations row Our regional round-up from across the North And finally – who’s on manoeuvres? Northern Spin is a joint production from BusinessCloud and Downtown in Business. The podcast is produced by Dan Brown of Renowned and sponsored by Sancus Lending UK.
Andy Burnham has completed his first month as Prime Minister – but how has he performed, and what are his biggest challenges? In the latest episode of Northern Spin, co-hosts Chris Maguire and Frank McKenna assess Burnham’s first month in No 10, his communication style and what lies ahead. In this episode, Maguire and McKenna also discuss: The pros and cons of Burnham’s social media strategy – and whether there’s a danger of style over substance What’s gone wrong for Reform – and what it means for the North Why things are going badly in Newcastle – on and off the pitch The tragedy involving Professor Jason Arday – and the motives of Julia Hartley-Brewer and Isabel Oakeshott Northern Spin is a joint production from BusinessCloud and Downtown in Business. The podcast is produced by Dan Brown of Renowned and sponsored by Sancus Lending UK.
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All eyes are on the North as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham fights to win the Makerfield by-election and keep alive his path to No.10. But any ambitions Burnham has of becoming Prime Minister depend on stopping Reform in the most important by-election in a generation. In this episode, co-hosts Chris Maguire and Frank McKenna tackle the big questions: Can Brand Burnham win over Makerfield, Labour and the country? Is it Burnham or bust for Labour? Will Carol Vorderman finish off Reform candidate Rob Kenyon after the sexism row? Would victory in Makerfield make Burnham Labour’s next leader in waiting? And why does Burnham need to ditch the King of the North label? Northern Spin is a joint production from BusinessCloud and Downtown in Business. The producer is Dan Brown of Renowned.