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Revision as of 00:06, 25 January 2010
This article is about the politician. For the bishop, see Andrew Burnham (clergyman).| The Right Honourable Andrew Burnham MP | |
|---|---|
| Secretary of State for Health | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 5 June 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Alan Johnson |
| Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | |
| In office 24 January 2008 – 5 June 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | James Purnell |
| Succeeded by | Ben Bradshaw |
| Chief Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 28 June 2007 – 24 January 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Stephen Timms |
| Succeeded by | Yvette Cooper |
| Member of Parliament for Leigh | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 7 June 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Lawrence Cunliffe |
| Majority | 17,272 (47.3%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Liverpool, England, UK (1970-01-07) 7 January 1970 (age 55) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Marie-France Van Heel |
| Alma mater | Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge |
Andrew Murray Burnham (born 7 January 1970) is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Leigh since 2001, and currently serves in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Health; prior to that appointment, he was the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Early life
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Andy Burnham was born in Liverpool, the son of a telephone engineer father and a receptionist mother, and raised in Culcheth, Warrington, close to the village of Lowton (which is at the southern end of the Leigh Parliamentary Constituency). He was educated at St.Catherines primary school then went on to St Aelred's Roman Catholic High School (now St Aelred's Catholic Technology College) on Birley Street in Newton-le-Willows and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge from where he was awarded an MA in English.
Joining the Labour Party
He claims to have joined the Labour Party at the age of 14 in 1984, during the miners' strike, and was a researcher to Tessa Jowell from 1994 until the 1997 election. He joined the Transport and General Workers Union in 1995. After the 1997 election, he was briefly a Parliamentary Officer for the NHS Confederation from August to December 1997, before taking up the post as an administrator with the Football Task Force for a year. In 1998, he became a special adviser to the then-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Chris Smith, a position he remained in until his election to Parliament in 2001.
Member of Parliament
Andrew Burnham contested the safe Labour seat of Leigh at the 2001 election, following the retirement of Lawrence Cunliffe. He was elected with a majority of 16,362, and gave his maiden speech on 4 July 2001.
In Government
Following his election to Parliament, he became a member of the Health Select Committee from 2001 until 2003, when he was appointed the Parliamentary Private Secretary to then-Home Secretary David Blunkett. Following Blunkett's first resignation in 2004, he went on to became the PPS to then-Education Secretary Ruth Kelly. He was promoted to serve in the Government after the 2005 election as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, with responsibility for identity cards legislation.
In the government reshuffle of 5 May 2006, Burnham was promoted from the Home Office to a Minister of State at the Department of Health.
In Cabinet
In Gordon Brown's first Cabinet, announced 28 June 2007, Burnham was announced as the new Chief Secretary to the Treasury, a position he held until 2008.
Burnham was alleged to have caused embarrassment to the Government in August 2007 by attacking the Conservative Party's Economic Competitiveness report, before admitting in an interview that he had not read the report.
The Daily Telegraph published an interview with Burnham on 13 October 2007 in which he stated that: "I think it’s better when children are in a home where their parents are married" and "it’s not wrong that the tax system should recognise commitment and marriage", which created some controversy because following through this argument would replicate the current policies of the Conservative Party.
In a re-shuffle in January 2008, he was promoted to become the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, replacing James Purnell.
In June 2008, he was forced to apologise to the director of pressure group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, after she threatened to sue him for libel for smearing her reputation.
In late 2008, he announced Government plans to crack down on the Internet, tightening up controls in order to "even up" what he claimed was an imbalance with TV regulations.
On 15 April 2009, while reading out condolences at the 20th Hillsborough Memorial Service at Anfield, he was forced to pause while supporters sang "Justice for the 96", a reference to no one being held accountable for the tragedy.
On 5 June 2009, following another re-shuffle, Andrew Burnham replaced Alan Johnson as Secretary of State for Health.
Personal life
Burnham is married to Marie-France van Heel, whom he wed in 2000 after 11 years together; their son attended the wedding. The couple had been dating since University. Van Heel was formerly head of marketing at MTV, BSkyB and Littlewoods Gaming and until recently the Planning Director at Creative Communication Agency WRG in Manchester. She is now a director at MvH Marketing Ltd, and they have a son and two daughters.
Burnham was the honorary Chairman of Leigh Rugby League Club for a short period of time. Burnham was also a talented junior cricketer and keen footballer, and competed at both sports for his College. He has played for Labour's "Demon Eyes" football team and is a life-long fan of Premier League football club Everton FC.
He is a Roman Catholic.
Expenses controversies
The leaked files reveal by The Daily Telegraph that he was embroiled in a secret eight-month battle with the Commons fees office over £16,000 worth of renovations and work on a London flat he was buying. The claims, which included a new kitchen, had been repeatedly rejected.
Mr Burnham, who is married to Marie-France van Heel, wrote three notes asking for the money to be paid, including one at Christmas 2005 in which he pleaded: "Otherwise I might be in line for divorce!" His persistence paid off, with the fees office backing down and agreeing that taxpayers would foot the bills.
The minister's claims included £19.95 for a bath robe from Ikea, which was rejected by officials. His spokesman said it was a "genuine oversight".
His expenses became more controversial when he moved out of a rented flat in Dolphin Square and bought a flat in Lambeth for £215,000 in September 2005. He submitted expenses of £16,644 for obtaining and renovating the property, including £1,845 for the kitchen, legal fees of £822 and £2,150 for stamp duty.In June 2006, when Mr Burnham was promoted to Treasury minister, with a brief that included bearing down on wasteful public spending, the fees office threw out a claim for mortgage interest on both the Lambeth flat and his constituency home, because the rules only allowed one second home to be claimed for.
References
- ^ Oliver, Jonathan (22 December 2007). "While Blair converts to Catholicism, only 8 Ministers say they believe in God". Mail Online. Daily Mail and General Trust. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- Woodward, Will (26 January 2008). "New culture secretary keeps an open mind on licence fee". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- "House of Commons Hansard; vol 371, part 14, col 333". Hansard. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 4 July 2001. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- "Battle ahead over IHT", Money Marketing, August 20 2007.
- ^ Sylvester, Rachel (15 October 2007). "Marriage is important, children do notice". Telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Times Commentary 25 Jan 2008
- Percival, Jenny (23 June 2008). "Chakrabarti-Davis row: Liberty head accepts letter of apology from Burnham". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News & Media. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/sep/26/digitalmedia.internet
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7644849.stm
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jun/11/digitalmedia.media
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8000635.stm
- "Andy Burnham". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 22 October 2002. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- Brown, Colin (20 June 2008). "Andy Burnham: The Mr Nice Guy who talked his way into a nasty situation". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
External links
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Andrew Burnham MP
- Andy Burnham's appointment welcomed by the NHS Confederation
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Andy Burnham MP
- Voting record at the Public Whip
- BBC Politics page
- Correspondence regarding Dispute over Hansom Cab
Audio clips
Video clips
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byLawrence Cunliffe | Member of Parliament for Leigh 2001–present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded byStephen Timms | Chief Secretary to the Treasury 2007–2008 |
Succeeded byYvette Cooper |
| Preceded byJames Purnell | Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 2008–2009 |
Succeeded byBen Bradshaw |
| Preceded byAlan Johnson | Secretary of State for Health 2009–present |
Incumbent |
_(St_Edwards_Crown).svg)
| Secretaries of state for culture, media and sport of the United Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| National Heritage (1992–1997) | |
| Culture, Media and Sport (1997–2010) | |
| Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (2010–2012) | |
| Culture, Media and Sport (2012–2017) | |
| Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2017–2023) | |
| Culture, Media and Sport (2023–present) | |
