Conservative Party members at this year's conference have offered a surprising verdict on Andy Burnham: he is a likeable chap. That does not mean they view him as a threat or back his politics, with one member calling his view of the 1970s a complete “fairytale” and another saying he thinks of “nothing North of Manchester”.
Young Tory predicts re-election
Isobelle Horne, 19, a student at Leeds University who also works in retail, said she thinks Burnham will be re-elected as Prime Minister over her own party's leader, Kemi Badenoch. “I think he's made really good momentum so far. And I think he's not your typical politician. He's very relatable to the people. He's obviously already got a strong hold in the North. And I don't think that's ever going to die,” she said.
Stephen Lam, 69, a Conservative Party member from Guildford, had different thoughts. “He's certainly captured the Labour Party more than Keir Starmer and his speech at the Labour Party conference was both very significant and very revealing. I mean to someone of my age he is a kind of charming throwback to the past,” he said.
Personality praised, policies questioned
Joe, 28, from Ferryhill, County Durham, who works in political communications, said Burnham is certainly likeable. “I actually think a bit of personality in politics goes a long, long way. But I think one of the biggest things he offers, he talks a lot about devolution in the North and places like where we're from. He has that vision. And I think when we think about people who have successfully sold a vision to the country and been rewarded for it, the person who comes to mind for me is Boris Johnson,” he said.
Nicola Bell, 61, retired but working in the not-for-profit sector, lives in South Warwickshire. Asked if Kemi should be talking about the North more, she said: “No, I think you don't... That's his thing, isn't it? What is the point in fighting someone on their thing? She's not from the North, so what's the point in her trying to compete with Andy Burnham on his own turf?”
Criticism of Manchester focus
Longtime Tory member Ian Daly, 64, retired after a career running and selling businesses, lives in West Worcestershire. “He only thinks about Manchester. If it wasn't for Man City money he wouldn't [have presided as mayor over] the fastest growing city in UK - and all of that growth came from Levelling Up,” he said.
Conservative councillor Niall Innes, 33, represents the Hartburn ward in Stockton, Teesside. “Kemi is the champion of Britain. From Lands End to John O'Groats Kemi is the only leader talking of the things people care about. Rather than focus on gimmicks like Andy Burnham and his belief that there is nothing North of Manchester, the Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party is speaking up for people all over the UK. We need Kemi to keep doing what she is, talking sense and getting on with the job,” he said.
Will Hunter, 20, from Grimsby, studies international relations and politics. “I think he's a man who is very proud of his heritage, passionate about what he believes in and resolving the problems of his area, but his resolutions to that are…they're not the right ones. He's misjudged what [the country] actually needs. He's too focused on the past,” he said. “He seems like he's a likeable chap. I've met people who didn't really like politics and say 'ah he seems like a lovely chap!'. And I myself, as a Northerner, think 'ah yeah he seems alright!' but I would never vote for him.”
