This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Off2riorob (talk | contribs) at 23:41, 10 June 2010 (→Expenses claims: embroiled in a prolonged battle is a bit POV, small write to remove some weight). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 23:41, 10 June 2010 by Off2riorob (talk | contribs) (→Expenses claims: embroiled in a prolonged battle is a bit POV, small write to remove some weight)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) This article is about the politician. For the bishop, see Andrew Burnham (clergyman).| The Right Honourable Andy Burnham MP | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 11 May 2010 | |
| Leader | Harriet Harman |
| Preceded by | Andrew Lansley |
| Secretary of State for Health | |
| In office 5 June, 2009 – 11 May, 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Alan Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Lansley |
| 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 | Aintree, Liverpool, England, UK (1970-01-07) 7 January 1970 (age 55) |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Marie-France Van Heel |
| Alma mater | Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge |
Andrew Murray "Andy" Burnham (born 7 January, 1970) is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Leigh since 2001. He was Secretary of State for Health until 11 May 2010 when Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister; prior to that appointment, he was the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Early life
Burnham was born in Aintree, Liverpool, the son of a telephone engineer father and a receptionist mother, and brought up in Culcheth, near Warrington, close to the village of Lowton (which is at the southern end of the Leigh Parliamentary Constituency), where his family moved to when his father was promoted to a job in Manchester. He was educated at St. Lewis' Primary School and St Aelred's Roman Catholic High School (now St Aelred's Catholic Technology College) in Newton-le-Willows, before going on to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he earned an MA in English.
Joining the Labour Party
He joined the Labour Party aged 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
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 become 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 implementing the Identity Cards Act 2006.
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 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.
Expenses claims
The Daily Telegraph's revelation of expenses claims by Members of Parliament showed that Burnham requested Commons Fees Office for the £16,644 cost of renovations and work on a London flat he was buying. The claims, which included a new kitchen were rejected. Burnham had written three notes asking for the money to be paid, including one at Christmas 2005 which claimed "Otherwise I might be in line for divorce!"
Ultimately the Fees Office accepted the claim and reimbursed the claim. The Fees Office refused to pay a June 2006 claim for mortgage interest which covered both the Lambeth flat and Burnham's constituency home, and also a mortgage claim which included capital repayment. The rules allowed reimbursement of mortgage interest only and on one home at a time. Burnham also attempted to claim £19.99 for a bathrobe from IKEA, which was rejected by officials; Burnham said it was a "genuine oversight".
Political commentary
250,000 women, some of them cancer patients, were sent a leaflet featuring a message from a breast cancer survivor who praised Labour's health policy. The cards asked: "Are the Tories a change you can afford?". Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats called this tasteless, and the Tories have stressed the fact that they actually are calling for more funding for the NHS. Both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have accused the Labour Party of misuse of NHS data to "blink out" cancer patients. Andy Burnham, the health secretary, said: "It is categorically incorrect to imply that we targeted cancer sufferers, and we regret if any offence or anxiety was given to people who have suffered cancer. "But we make no apology for highlighting the difference between Labour and the Conservatives on cancer care."
In addition, some General Practitioners (GPs) felt that their professional work had been politicised - they were wondering how the Labour Party had come to find their office addresses, as ordinarily these are not publicly available.
Leadership contest
Following the resignation of Gordon Brown as Leader of the Labour Party after the 2010 general election, Andy Burnham declared his intention to stand in the subsequent Labour leadership contest. He launched his leadership campaign in his Leigh constituency on 26 May.
Personal life
Burnham is married to Marie-France van Heel, whom he wed in 2000 after 11 years together. 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. The couple have a son and two daughters. Burnham is a Roman Catholic.
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.
References
- New Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport BACTA, 28 January 2008
- Woodward, Will (26 January 2008). "New culture secretary keeps an open mind on licence fee". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
- "House of Commons Hansard; vol 371, part 14, col 333". Hansard. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 4 July 2001. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
- "Battle ahead over IHT", Money Marketing, 20 August 2007
- ^ Sylvester, Rachel (15 October 2007). "Marriage is important, children do notice". Telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Sometimes a problem really is an opportunity. . . for others Times Online, 25 January 2008
- Percival, Jenny (23 June 2008). "Chakrabarti-Davis row: Liberty head accepts letter of apology from Burnham". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News & Media. Retrieved 11 October 2008.
- Government to tighten up web controls The Guardian, 26 September 2008
- The medium and the message BBC News, 1 October 2008
- Andy Burnham hints at tighter control of online contentThe Guardian, 11 June 2008
- Robert Winnett (8 May 2009). "Andy Burnham's battle over claim". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
- Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott join Labour leadership race, Daily Telegraph, 19 May 2010, retrieved 29 May 2010
- Burnham seeks to stand out from leadership crowd BBC News, 26 May 2010
- 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 11 October 2008.
- "Andy Burnham". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 22 October 2002. Retrieved 11 October 2008.
- 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 11 October 2008.
External links
- Andy Burnham MP Official constituency website
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
- Andy Burnham excellent choice for health secretary NHS Confederation, 5 June 2009
- Andy Burnham - Re-connecting Labour
- Audio clips
- Interview with GMR after 2005 election BBC Manchester
- Video clips
- Delivering 18 week NHS target YouTube
| 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 2009–2010 |
Succeeded byAndrew Lansley |
| 2010 Labour Party leadership election | |
|---|---|
| Outgoing Leader: Gordon Brown | |
| Winner | |
| Other nominees | |
| Not nominated | |
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| Secretaries of state for culture, media and sport of the United Kingdom | |
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| 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) | |
 Chief secretaries to the treasury | ||
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- 1970 births
- Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
- English Roman Catholics
- Labour MPs (UK)
- Living people
- Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for English constituencies
- People from Warrington
- Politicians from Liverpool
- Secretaries of State for Health (UK)
- UK MPs 2001–2005
- UK MPs 2005–2010
- UK MPs 2010–
- Catholic Members of Parliament