The ECHO took to the streets of Liverpool to ask residents whether they consider Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor and Labour leadership contender, a Scouser. Born in Old Roan, Aintree, Burnham spent his first year in Liverpool before moving to Cheshire. His political career, however, has been centred on Manchester, where he served as MP for Leigh and now as Mayor. This has sparked debate about his regional identity.
Mixed Views on Burnham's Scouse Credentials
Graham McNamee, 78, originally from Sheffield, was unaware of Burnham's Liverpool birthplace. He told the ECHO: "Everyone associates him with Manchester, so I think people from Liverpool would probably be a bit surprised to find out he’s from Liverpool." Regarding a potential Scouse Prime Minister, McNamee expressed scepticism: "It’s difficult because whoever gets in, they promise you one thing and when they get in, it's totally different."
Emma Howard, 48, from Bradford but resident in Liverpool for a decade, only recently learned of Burnham's origins. She said: "I quite like him. I like how he helped the Hillsborough campaign, and I’ve seen a lot of what he’s done in Manchester." On classifying him as a Scouser, she noted: "My husband would probably say he’s a wool because he grew up in Warrington, but I think if I were born in Liverpool, I would class myself as a Scouser." She added that a Burnham premiership would be "boss."
Hillsborough Connection and Evertonian Loyalty
Burnham's Scouse identity is often linked to his lifelong support for Everton and his role in the Hillsborough campaign. He first introduced the Hillsborough Law Bill in 2017 after being heckled at a memorial service in 2009, which spurred him to push for a second inquiry. This led to fresh inquests and an unlawful killing verdict. Wendy Rooney, 62, from Wirral, who lived near Burnham's childhood home, said: "I class him as a Scouser because he’s an Evertonian... I think other people in Liverpool would agree." She added: "Maybe he knows more about working-class people than any of the others."
Some Residents Question His Authenticity
Tom O'Connell, 69, from Knotty Ash, acknowledged Burnham's Liverpool birth and Scouse accent but criticised his political stance: "He seems to have flip-flopped since going in for the Makerfield election. He's tended to be on the left... and now he seems to be saying to different people what those people want to hear." Despite this, he classed Burnham as a Scouser.
Dominic Coar, 56, from Wirral, called Burnham a "political animal" and said: "He was born and bred here, although he moved around." He added: "Having a Scouse Prime Minister would be hilarious. I can’t see him being happy down south."
Mixed Responses on Prime Ministerial Potential
Maya Reed, 69, said: "I’d definitely say he’s a northerner, and I think he cares about the North." She expressed hope: "I think it would be great if we had a first Scouse Prime Minister, absolutely." However, Sue Rochel, 62, from Walton, reserved judgment: "He seems really pleasant, but I don't know anything about his policies... I feel like, at the moment, he’s all about this ‘Number 10 of the North’, which I think is going to alienate quite a lot of people." She did not consider him a Scouser, saying: "Probably more Manc really."
