Andy Burnham's social media strategy is disrupting the traditional media landscape in Westminster, with journalists now racing to report on news announced in his Instagram videos or Reddit comments. Insiders close to the potential next prime minister say this approach is about meeting the public where they are.
Authenticity as a Core Strategy
“Andy understands that the most important thing for a politician to be is where people are and to be amongst them, and that's just as much social media as it is out and about in towns and communities across the country,” a source close to Burnham told The Mirror. The strategy is grounded in Burnham being authentically himself, allies said.
More than six million users watched his light-hearted clapback at Kemi Badenoch, who mocked Keir Starmer being replaced by "a pair of eyelashes and a black T-shirt." Burnham's selfie-style video reply, posted across social media sites at the end of last month, showed him fluttering his eyelashes before looking down at his T-shirt and quipping: “It’s dark blue actually.”
The source said: “He often tweets himself. It feels authentic, because it is authentic. He has a very natural communication style, and that's mirrored in his presence online.”
Platform Usage and Reach
While X, formerly Twitter, has long been considered the go-to social media site for the Westminster bubble, data from media regulator Ofcom shows this is not necessarily where the public is. Its report, published last year, found 71% of internet users use Facebook, 55% are on Instagram, 39% use TikTok, 30% are on X, and 14% use Reddit.
The Makerfield MP, who is on course to become PM on July 20, has taken part in an Instagram Q&A and a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) in recent weeks. He responded to questions on everything from the pensions triple lock to his top four favourite films: “Goodfellas, The Big Short, Brassed Off, and Pride.”
The source added: “He's trying to make himself as accessible as possible by doing the Ask Me Anything on Reddit and Instagram. And we're seeing people really respond to that. The Reddit usage literally spiked to the extent that Reddit crashed.” His Reddit AMA posts are understood to have achieved more than 1.3 million views. And data shows he banked 15 million views on X in his second week of being an MP, putting him ahead of any other UK party leader.
Organic Content and Policy Promotion
Insiders also see success in Burnham organically posting about his genuine interests, like his beloved Everton, as it mirrors the way everyday voters use social media over curated posts. A quirky clip of him reviewing AI-generated posters for a No10 North showed how social media can be harnessed to promote policy plans in an accessible way.
One Labour MP remarked: “Good communication is a commodity in politics. Andy is completely himself.” A Labour source added: “The thing about his social media is Andy is being authentically himself.”
Comparison with Starmer's Approach
Starmer's team also sought to grasp the opportunities of social media, launching his TikTok at the end of last year. A No10 source said: “I think gone are the days of the polished long election videos that are much more suited to the old television broadcasts. The politicians that still do those, and there are plenty that still do, just have completely misunderstood what social media is there for, and the power of it, the purpose of it. It's your opportunity to show yourself in a different way to the mainstream media, if you're a senior politician, that is. If you're a mainstream politician, like your Nigel Farages and Keir Starmers, who are on the news all the time, what's the point of amplifying on your social media the exact same image that people are used to seeing on the news? It's an opportunity to kind of go behind the curtain and show them as a real person.”
Downing Street also pursued a content creator strategy that has seen Starmer be interviewed by influencers and YouTubers, which is likely to be discontinued under Burnham in favour of more organic content. No10 insiders have long acknowledged that social media is not the natural home of former lawyer Starmer. A separate No10 source said: “You can’t change Keir to make him someone he’s not.”
Accessibility and Future Plans
For Burnham's team, his savvy communication skills align with his ambition to make politics more accessible. While a No10 North will devolve power across the country, casual, selfie-style videos across social media platforms will seek to shift access to Burnham closer to voters. It is also set to draw a clear line between him and politicians who post rage bait and inflammatory content in a bid to capitalise on algorithms on platforms like Elon Musk’s X.
A spokeswoman for Burnham said: “Andy is committed to changing the way we do politics, and that includes making it more open and accessible for people wherever they are. That means he wants to hear from them directly and have honest conversations. His content has worked and cut through because it is authentic to him, and because people want to know who politicians are, what drives them and what they stand for.”
