{"id":727023,"date":"2026-01-28T20:01:39","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T20:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/727023\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T20:01:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T20:01:39","slug":"the-mayor-with-lovely-eyelashes-to-some-a-showman-to-others-this-is-what-73-voters-now-think-about-andy-burnham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/727023\/","title":{"rendered":"The mayor with ‘lovely eyelashes’ to some, a ‘showman’ to others. This is what 73 voters now think about Andy Burnham"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andy Burnham’s name can’t leave the headlines lately after his bid to become an MP was blocked. But in trying to return to Parliament, the mayor signalled being Greater Manchester mayor is his second-choice job. The Local Democracy Reporting Service hit the streets this week to see if the ‘King of the North’s’ popularity has taken a hit.\"men\"<\/p>\n

18:25, 28 Jan 2026<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Andy Burnham’s the name on Greater Manchester’s lips – we spoke to 73 voters across the city to see what they make of him(Image: MEN)<\/p>\n

Andy Burnham\u2019s name is on Greater Manchester\u2019s lips more so than usual.<\/p>\n

Usually a popular figure in the city, the mayor has dominated the national news since Thursday (January 22), when Andrew Gwynne resigned <\/a>as the MP for Gorton<\/a> and Denton<\/a>, 11 months on from the \u2018Trigger Me Timbers\u2019 WhatsApp scandal.<\/a><\/p>\n

With Gwynne gone, Burnham was now presented a clear path to Parliament \u2014 which could have allowed him to challenge Keir Starmer to lead the Labour<\/a> Party, and become Britain\u2019s fifth Prime Minister this decade.<\/p>\n

Talk of a Burnham leadership bid ramped up last summer, never discouraged by the mayor, and persisted into 2026, even with several obvious hurdles in the way, like a requirement to resign as mayor just to stand in the by-election.<\/p>\n

But the mayor clearly felt it was too good an opportunity to miss, asking Labour\u2019s National Executive Committee (NEC) for permission to stand <\/a>in Gorton and Denton at 5pm on Saturday (January 24).<\/p>\n

Within 17 hours the dream was dead. The NEC blocked his bid,<\/a> with Keir Starmer being one of eight voting against his candidacy.<\/p>\n

Burnham said he was \u2018disappointed\u2019 on Sunday afternoon (January 25). He\u2019s stayed relatively tight-lipped since, repeatedly declining to answer questions about the affair, save for striking a conciliatory tone in <\/a>encouraging Labour MPs to come to Manchester to campaign for the party\u2019s candidate.<\/p>\n

His ambitions for a House of Commons return in tatters, he now says his \u2018full focus\u2019 is being the mayor of Greater Manchester. But the elephant in the room is Mr Burnham appears to be working his second-choice job<\/a>, knowing he would need to leave the mayoralty to serve as an MP.<\/p>\n

Mancs know that too. The question then becomes if they still view him as \u2018the King of the North\u2019, or just another careerist politician trying to climb the greasy pole.<\/p>\n

The LDRS asked 73 voters on Tuesday and Wednesday (January 27 and 28) in Greater Manchester to see if they still back Burnham.<\/p>\n

‘We’ve got a Prime Minister who\u2019s a pain in the a***’<\/p>\n

One town in Greater Manchester definitively knows Andy Burnham<\/a> best: Leigh<\/strong>, where he was the MP for 16 years. He grew up nearby and still lives in the area.<\/p>\n

Ken and Anita Boardman were out in the town and they say they still back him.<\/p>\n

Anita, 68, said: \u201cWhen I heard he\u2019d been knocked back from standing by Labour my first thought was \u2018what are they scared of\u2019? I think it will lead to more problems for them down the line.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ken, 70, added: \u201cPeople may say that making the move to stand for Parliament shows a lack of focus on the Mayor job but I don\u2019t think this will distract him.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ken and Anita Boardman live in Leigh, Burnham’s old seat(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

Brian Crompton, 79, from Hindley Green in Wigan<\/strong>, added: \u201cI think he\u2019s still well thought of around Leigh as he\u2019s local and spent a long time as an MP here.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people will say he was good for the borough. I do think he has it in him to become a party leader or even a future PM.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Brian Crompton still thinks Burnham can go far(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

In nearby Eccles<\/strong>, voters also still seemed supportive of Burnham as mayor and wanted to see him back in Parliament. Alan Bonney, 48, said: \u201cIf Andy Burnham wanted to go back to Parliament and try to be Prime Minister, I\u2019d rather have him over anyone else if I had a choice. Keir Starmer\u2019s the worst leader we\u2019ve ever had, I don\u2019t know anyone who likes him.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Alan Bonney called Keir ‘the worst we’ve had'(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

Bernard Fagan, 84, concurred: \u201cWhat happened hasn\u2019t changed my opinion of Andy Burnham, I think he\u2019s just another politician, but at least he says what he feels like and he doesn\u2019t hide it, while we\u2019ve got a Prime Minister who\u2019s a pain in the a***.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe problem with what Andy Burnham did was it would have cost all this money and he\u2019s still got half his term as mayor to run. I think he\u2019s doing great as mayor of Greater Manchester, he says what he thinks, I believe he tells the truth, and suddenly he\u2019s found his voice louder.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bernard Fagan called Keir Starmer ‘a pain in the a***'(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

‘Andy is one of the few politicians I respect’<\/p>\n

Stretford\u2019s <\/strong>Sue Gettins, 76, usually doesn\u2019t like politicians, but makes an exception for Andy: \u201cI don\u2019t rate the Labour Party<\/a>. I don\u2019t rate the other parties.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Andy Burnham is one of the few politicians I do respect and like. I was sorry he didn\u2019t want to continue being mayor of [Greater} Manchester because I want him to be mayor of [Greater] Manchester.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Sue Gettins respects the mayor, one of only a few politicians(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

Another fan was Timperley\u2019s<\/strong> Simon Kelly, 60, who believes Burnham is the only man who can stop Reform in Gorton and Denton \u2014 making Labour\u2019s decision to block him puzzling, he explained: \u201cWhen they were sat in that room and they went \u2018no, we\u2019re going to stop Andy Burnham\u2019, did someone not sit there and say \u2018that\u2019s really bad optics\u2019?<\/p>\n

\u201cBut also \u2018look around, we need to be worried about more than Andy Burnham\u2019 because [Sir Keir Starmer] might be worried about losing his job, but the fact of the matter is that, if they don\u2019t buck their ideas up, there\u2019s no way the Labour Party is getting reelected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Altrincham <\/strong>was split on if Burnham should move to Downing Street, with Tom Gurrie, 67, telling the LDRS he thought Mr Burnham makes a good mayor, would have made a good MP for the area, but lacks \u2018the gravitas\u2019 for PM.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Tom Gurrie thinks Burnham lacks ‘gravitas'(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

Joyce Talbot, 71, from Stockport<\/strong>, agreed: \u201cI\u2019ve not changed my opinion on Andy Burnham, I\u2019m not a Labour person anyway, but I like him as the mayor and he\u2019d probably do okay as an MP.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like him, I like to listen to him on the radio on a Thursday, I find him to be a very honest man, I just get those vibes from him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019d still be in Manchester if he was elected MP [for Gorton and Denton], it\u2019s hard to say what he\u2019ll do because he\u2019s been in the position of mayor for several years, it\u2019s up to him but I don\u2019t think Keir Starmer should have stood in his way.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Joyce Talbot said the decision to block Burnham wasn’t right(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

‘I wouldn’t vote for either of them’<\/p>\n

Rochdale<\/strong> is no stranger to by-elections, with a 2024 poll following Tony Lloyd\u2019s death resulting in George Galloway\u2019s four-month stint representing the town.<\/p>\n

Pensioner Barry Helm rates Burnham suggesting \u2018Manchester is a booming city now\u2019 so \u2018maybe he could do that for the country\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a Rochdalian from the north, why not have a northern Prime Minister? I think I\u2019d prefer someone without a knighthood,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Barry Helm wants to see a northern PM(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

But Jackie Pye, visiting the bank with her precious pooch Lady disagreed: \u201cI think he was putting us second. He has put his own ambitions first.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he is dealing with the public he ought to realise how to go about these things. I\u2019m not enamoured by him \u2013 he\u2019s not good with the details, he\u2019s a showman.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t want him to be Prime Minister. My opinion of him is lower after all that, he was trying to weasel his way in and I\u2019m glad he got knocked back.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jackie Pye with her dog, Lady(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

In nearby Oldham<\/strong>, shoppers at the Tommyfield Market seemed happy with Burnham as mayor. Wolfing down a Greggs cheese and onion bake, stand-up comedian Faizan Shah said he \u2018made a massive difference in Manchester\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to see him as PM,\u201d the 32-year-old added. \u201cI think he\u2019d do a much better job than [Keir Starmer] \u2014 but then I think an upturned bin would do a better job.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The NEC blocking Burnham] is just another case of them shooting themselves in the foot. Who are they going to put there instead? Whoever it is, they probably won\u2019t win.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Jenny, 47, believes Oldham<\/a>\u2019s not felt the Burnham benefit: \u201cI don\u2019t think Burnham is too bad. He\u2019s got some good ideas, but I think there\u2019s some things he\u2019s overlooked. You see Oldham now, and it\u2019s changed so much in the last 10-15 years with lots of businesses moving out and people struggling with the cost of living.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s to do with the tram service \u2013 it\u2019s a good thing to have the tram, but I think it\u2019s also killed towns like Oldham because it\u2019s so easy to leave, so then all the businesses here fail and the market is dying. It\u2019s driving people out.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added she \u2018can\u2019t see him actually being in the position of MP or Prime Minister\u2019 because \u2018some of his ideas seem quite off the cuff\u2019, which makes her \u2018worry what he would do if he was in that position\u2019.<\/p>\n

Erik didn\u2019t stop for long to chat, but his views aren\u2019t in doubt: “I think Starmer is protecting himself by blocking him, but it doesn\u2019t matter to me, because I wouldn\u2019t vote for either of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do like Andy Burnham\u2026 I think it\u2019s his eyelashes. He\u2019s got lovely eyelashes.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, carer Catherine Ormerod, who interrupted her 44th birthday with a day out in Bury <\/strong>by chatting politics, disagreed. She said: \u201cIt\u2019s not changed my mind about him. I think he would make a great MP.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a man for the people of Manchester. When things happen in Manchester, he\u2019s there and he takes a stand against the government if he needs to. That\u2019s why they don\u2019t want him, they feel threatened by him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlotte Hind, 64, \u2018cannot believe the NEC blocked him\u2019. She went on: \u201cI think Keir Starmer is frightened of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think [Burnham] should be Prime Minister. He\u2019s a man of the people \u2013 he knows what people want and need, and he knows what it\u2019s like to struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Retired pharmacist Charlotte said she was a lifelong Labour supporter, but recently stopped voting red because she\u2019s become disillusioned by the direction the party is going in \u2013 but she says Burnham is the only Labour person she\u2019d still vote for.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do like Andy Burnham,\u201d she added. \u201cI think it\u2019s his eyelashes. He\u2019s got lovely eyelashes.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just Burnham\u2019s cilia which draw Mancs towards him. Veteran voter Alan, 73, in Bolton<\/strong>, says he\u2019s a \u2018good communicator\u2019 and \u2018approachable\u2019.<\/p>\n

New voter, Maryam Puda, studying health and social care at the University of Greater Manchester has seen the mayor\u2019s message cut through.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Maryam Puda has seen Burnham on TikTok(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\n

The 18-year-old said: \u201cI hadn\u2019t heard that he wanted to become an MP but I am aware of Andy Burnham, mostly through TikTok reels.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know some are not reliable but from what I\u2019ve seen he seems like a good mayor. I think he does translate to younger people and I have seen him get his message across on social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

But some in Greater Manchester remember one of the mayor\u2019s more unpopular moves, prompting attacks.<\/p>\n

John Bryers, 41, from Breightmet<\/strong>, said: \u201cHe tried to introduce the clean air charges which would have punished thousands of people, mostly tradespeople with vans, have people forgotten about that?<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what he stands for and when I talk among my friends he\u2019s deeply unpopular. If he values being mayor, why\u2019s he trying to be an MP?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to light a cigarette when I saw he was blocked\u201d<\/p>\n

While the 2022 clean air zone U-turn, a saga that ultimately ended with a non-charging clean air plan, lives in some people\u2019s memories, others are focusing on the here and now.<\/p>\n

Lin Taylor, 63, from Dukinfield<\/strong>, said: \u201cI think Andy Burnham is good at his job. I was all for him going for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s good at what he does because he delivers on promises unlike the current government. I thought it was bang out of order blocking him.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Lin wants Burnham as MP(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad to keep him as mayor, but I think he would\u2019ve been a good MP.\u201d<\/p>\n

Louise Kennedy, a pensioner in Ashton-under-Lyne<\/strong> who votes Reform, was also shocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to light a cigarette when I saw he got blocked from running in the by-election,\u201d she explained. \u201cI think a Starmer is sticking around for no reason, he must know he\u2019s not wanted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think all Mancunians would vote Burnham in. I have always liked him, even though he\u2019s not in charge of Ashton<\/a>, my opinion hasn\u2019t changed on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

While one Reform supporter can see Burnham\u2019s appeal, another cannot. Fellow Reform fan Yvonne Dale said: \u201cI think Burnham is rubbish. No one likes him and he\u2019s done nothing for Greater Manchester despite what he says about the transport stuff.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Yvonne Dale will vote Reform at the next election and doesn’t like the mayor(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not keen on him going for a government position and I was glad he got blocked. I\u2019m voting Reform at the next election to sort things out because we\u2019ve got nothing for veterans and old people and there are loads of homeless people.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think Andy Burnham has put Greater Manchester first by going for candidacy. He put his own ambitions first.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Shannon Tilley is relatively new in Manchester, but couldn’t see the problem(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all change jobs\u201d<\/p>\n

Shannon Tilley, 25, held a different view to Yvonne. Taking a break in St Anne\u2019s Square<\/strong> said the mayor\u2019s move \u2018does not bother me\u2019.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cIf he wants to change job, he can change job. We all change jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

A retired teacher from Bury<\/strong>, Ian Bradley thinks the bid to be MP \u2018was a misjudgement\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand his reasons, but it\u2019s ambition, and people are tired of that,\u201d he added in the city centre<\/strong>. \u201cHe would be better as a team player. I do not see how he cannot speak his mind at national level from the mayor position.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ian Bradley, usually a fan of Andy’s(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy can\u2019t he focus on the challenges from the far right here? I am disappointed by that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The LDRS spoke to two Gorton <\/strong>and Denton <\/strong>voters. One was Tom McCabe, 31, who lives in the Tameside <\/strong>town and didn\u2019t want Burnham on the ballot.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cFrom what I\u2019ve heard Andy Burnham is doing a good job for the region as mayor, but I\u2019d prefer him to stay here. As for the by-election, everyone is voting for something different now, they want something they\u2019ve not had before. Green and Reform are the new left and right.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Christos Baimpakis remembered the mayor when the LDRS reminded him he wears Adidas trainers(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

Christos Baimpakis, from Gorton<\/strong>, was the other. It looks like he would have supported Burnham if he stood in the by-election. The 43-year-old said: \u201cI have heard fantastic things about him. He looks like he cares for the people. I\u2019m happy with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe needs to do more about crime, stabbing, and homeless people. But other than that, I think he is cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Christos, smoking a cigarette outside the Arndale<\/strong> was rare as one of the few people not to know who Andy Burnham was without a description. When he was reminded of the mayor\u2019s trademark glasses and Adidas trainer look, he remembered instantly: \u201cI used to work at the Bridgewater Hall and I served him once. He looks human, he looks more human than politician.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fact Christos was only one of 73 not to know who the mayor was speaks volumes about the mayor\u2019s notoriety. It appears his popularity is still intact with Greater Manchester \u2014 but it\u2019s not as universal as it once was.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Andy Burnham’s name can’t leave the headlines lately after his bid to become an MP was blocked. But…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":727024,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[8813],"tags":[8916,1379,279,748,1285,393,4884,3043,2465,8086,1286,285,1170,1290,1288,1026,1289,16,15,1287],"class_list":["post-727023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-manchester","tag-andy-burnham","tag-ashton-and-mossley","tag-bolton","tag-britain","tag-bury","tag-england","tag-great-britain","tag-leigh","tag-manchester","tag-manchester-city-centre","tag-oldham","tag-politics","tag-rochdale","tag-salford","tag-stockport","tag-tameside","tag-trafford","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-wigan"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115974510789384883","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/727023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=727023"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/727023\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/727024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=727023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=727023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=727023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}