PM-in-waiting fields questions on Instagram about music and snacks as Tories accuse him of avoiding press.Andy Burnham has continued to bypass traditional media scrutiny in the run-up to becoming prime minister, instead answering questions directly from the public via social media, prompting fresh criticism from the Conservatives.
Personal questions on Instagram
In a video posted to Instagram, Burnham responded to a mix of questions from members of the public, ranging from serious policy matters to more light-hearted personal queries about his tastes in music, food and drink.
Asked to share a fondest memory, Burnham recalled invading the pitch as a 14-year-old during a dramatic moment in football history. “Gotta be careful about this one, but it is actually running on the pitch at Highbury in 1984 when Everton scored a last-minute winner in the FA Cup semi-final against Southampton,” he said. Photographs from the match show police attempting to restore order as supporters flooded onto the pitch at Highbury, then Arsenal’s home ground. Burnham has long been known as a committed Everton supporter.
He also shared some of his personal preferences with followers, revealing that his favourite type of beer is German lager, and naming Sugar Spun Sister as his favourite Stone Roses track. His choice of favourite Smiths album, Hatful of Hollow, may raise eyebrows among purists, given that it is technically a compilation rather than a studio album. He also disclosed his go-to order from Greggs: a sausage, cheese and bean melt.
Policy positions
Alongside the personal questions, Burnham used the session to set out his thinking on several policy areas, including water, housing and education.
On the water industry, he was critical of the current system, saying: “We have a situation with water where the shareholders never lose, the bill payers never win,” and suggested the situation “can’t carry on.”
On housing, he pledged what he described as “the biggest council house-building programme this country has seen since the Second World War,” promising new homes that would be “cheaper to rent and cheaper to run with lower bills.”
He also signalled a shift in education policy, calling for less emphasis on university education in favour of technical routes. “I think it’s time to call to an end the era when we have been overly focused on the university route,” he said.
Criticism over media access
The Instagram session followed a similar “ask me anything” event Burnham held on Reddit, continuing his approach of engaging directly with the public rather than through traditional press channels. It came after he declined to take questions from journalists last week, following his first major speech since winning the Makerfield by-election.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has criticised the approach, accusing Burnham of “answering softball questions” and challenging him to “face a proper press conference and submit yourself to scrutiny.”
