Nazir Afzal, former chief crown prosecutor for north-west England, has written a detailed comparison of Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham, drawing on his close working relationships with both men. Afzal argues that the single quality separating them—Burnham's personable warmth—is exactly what Britain needs most in an era of deep public mistrust.
Trust Recession and Leadership Style
Afzal notes that the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer found nearly seven in 10 people believe their leaders are misleading them, with national government figures losing the most trust. He praises Starmer as forensic, principled, and serious, but observes that connection did not come naturally to him. Starmer led with argument and detail where the moment often cried out for warmth, winning the case but losing the room. In contrast, Burnham relates to people instantly and without effort, making each person feel he is wholly on their side.
Working with Starmer as DPP
Afzal describes serving as a chief prosecutor while Starmer was director of public prosecutions (DPP). After the successful prosecution of the Rochdale grooming gang, Starmer tasked Afzal with chairing a national panel to re-examine cases that had previously been found wanting. For the first time, outsiders including leaders of the NSPCC, Barnardo's, and the children's commissioner were brought in to challenge thinking. At each meeting, Starmer applied his huge legal knowledge but sometimes missed the human element. Dozens of cases were re-examined and restarted, delivering justice to hundreds of victims, but many left meetings not knowing if he was with them or against them.
Burnham's Authenticity After Manchester Arena Attack
Afzal first met Burnham in 2017 on the BBC Question Time panel days after the Manchester Arena terrorist murders. Burnham had only been mayor for a few days but engaged with all communities with authenticity. He had spent the previous day meeting survivors and families of victims. Instead of letting anger overwhelm him, he presented himself as a compassionate soul who felt the shared hurt while recognising the need to bring everyone together, not further divide them. Afzal says people called him "king of the north" not for policy papers but because they felt he heard them.
The Challenge Ahead for Burnham
Afzal warns that the natural gift that wins power is not the same as the discipline that rebuilds a nation's trust. No 10 is where warmth turns cold, swallowed by the bubble, handlers, and daily survival war. The test Burnham faces is regaining public trust by first telling the truth, even when inconvenient. Leadership means owning failures as openly as successes, staying connected by remaining in rooms where life is lived, listening to critics as well as supporters, and matching words with action. It also means refusing to feed algorithms that reward outrage and conflict, choosing to lower the temperature rather than raise it.
Afzal concludes that the prime ministers remembered from this anxious decade will be those people still trust and believe in, not those who shouted loudest. Having watched both men closely, he thinks Burnham might be one of them.
