Andy Burnham watched Everton from the directors box in his first match since becoming Prime Minister, after security fears prevented him from sitting in his usual seat. The Labour leader entered the Hill Dickinson Stadium with club legend Peter Reid, who had campaigned for him during the Makerfield byelection.
Social media footage showed Mr Burnham posing for selfies and shaking hands with fans before kick-off. The decades-long season ticket holder had previously said he hoped to be allowed to sit in his own seat in the South Stand, saying at the time: "It’s actually the best thing I could do. Every game there would be a mega focus group on me."
Security concerns over usual seat
It is feared that sitting in his usual seat would have meant a number of fans being displaced to accommodate close protection officers, in line with security protocols, something Mr Burnham felt was unreasonable. Security expert Professor Anthony Glees told the Daily Star Sunday that had Mr Burnham sat in his usual seat, "everyone else around him, row upon row, will be a plain clothed, heavily armed close protection officer."
He added: "There is no way in which any Prime Minister, and that includes Burnham, can behave like he was not our Prime Minister. In fact, he will never again be just a normal Everton fan, and for long after he's left office. What's more, no Prime Minister is responsible in any way for their own security. They do what they are told, end of story. It's not up to him."
Matchday experience from directors box
Instead, Mr Burnham watched on from the more comfortable seats in the directors box close to the halfway line as his beloved blues got their season off to a flyer with a comprehensive 2-0 victory. The 'King of the North', who appeared on a YouTube channel over the summer discussing his love of the club and choosing his favourite retro shirts, was sat with his wife Marie-France van Heel during the game.
Mr Glees added: "Of course Burnham is right not to want to be seen to be kept away from the public. I get that. But the truth is he isn’t just an ordinary football fan any longer and he won’t ever be one again. He’s the prime minister of 69m Brits. If he were sitting where a malign actor knew he was going to be, our PM would make himself a sitting duck target. Having said that, and knowing the doughty nature of Everton fans, any incursion upon Burnham's security is likely to leave them with bloody noses. Everton know how to protect their own and they'll probably make more of a mess of any one foolish enough to have a go at Burnham than the protection officers would."
