Prime Minister Andy Burnham made history on Sunday by becoming the first sitting Prime Minister to compete in the Great North Run. The 56-year-old joined over 63,000 participants in the 13.1-mile race, which extends from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields.
Burnham, who assumed the role of Prime Minister in July, is a familiar face at the event, having previously completed it in 2021. This year, he aimed to finish the race in under two hours, despite the demands of his current office.
The 2026 Great North Run marks its 45th anniversary and is noted as the largest iteration in its history. The event anticipates over 200,000 spectators lining the route.
Speaking before the race, Burnham described the event as "something about the city, the people, the warmth, the humour, it's just a lovely event." He also acknowledged race founder Brendan Foster, calling it an "amazing event" that highlights the North East and "the best of British."
Burnham's participation is also tied to a commitment to donate a portion of his Prime Ministerial salary to charity. He is supporting the homelessness charity Changing Lives, to which he has pledged 15 percent of his first month's salary. This follows his recent visit to Changing Lives' Alex's Place in Newcastle, where he launched a national initiative to end rough sleeping, accompanied by an announcement of £442 million in government funding for related plans.
Running for charitable causes is a long-standing practice for Burnham. In 2014, then serving as shadow health secretary, he completed the London Marathon. Five years later, he ran the Boston Marathon in support of charities established after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. During his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, he ran in aid of charities connected to the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.