Andy Burnham's wife, Marie-France van Heel, advised him against pursuing a third bid for the Labour leadership, expressing skepticism about his chances of success. She reportedly told him, "They have told you twice they don't want you." Van Heel's initial reaction to his decision to challenge Keir Starmer was "What? Not again."
Burnham, now Prime Minister, described his wife as blunt about his past failures and noted her lack of hesitation in voicing her concerns. He recounted her questioning his decision to pursue the leadership again after two previous unsuccessful attempts. Burnham eventually secured the leadership in what was described as a "coronation," meaning neither Labour members nor the public had a direct say in the selection process.
Burnham met van Heel, a brand marketing executive, while they were students at Cambridge University in the late 1980s. He revealed that she was also critical of his early media performances after he first became a Member of Parliament in the early 2000s. He recalled receiving texts from her, such as, "ANSWER THE F***ING QUESTION," after interviews where he felt he had performed well by sticking to the party line.
This was Burnham's third bid for the Labour leadership. He previously came in fourth in 2010 and a distant second to Jeremy Corbyn five years later. In 2017, he left Parliament to successfully run for the Greater Manchester mayoralty.
Burnham reflected that not obtaining the leadership in earlier attempts ultimately made him a better politician, suggesting he had not fully processed his ambitions or the political landscape at the time. He commented that the Westminster environment can shape a politician's thinking and speech, sometimes at the expense of authenticity.
Van Heel accompanied Burnham to Downing Street when he assumed office last month. However, she is not expected to live there permanently, preferring their home in Greater Manchester, where Burnham has established a new "No 10 North" outpost. A new official portrait of the Prime Minister, dressed in a suit and green tie, was released yesterday, showing him in the No. 10 Garden.
Burnham also shared that his father, Roy, who has Alzheimer's, has only a fleeting awareness of his son's current position. Care home staff reported that he momentarily seemed to recognize his son upon his arrival at Downing Street. The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to addressing the social care crisis, stating his belief that the public is ready for "quite radical" solutions, despite criticism of his past "death tax" proposal.