In the Cheshire village of Culcheth, the Cherry Tree pub is a favourite of the new prime minister. The unassuming local, on a busy road where four shots cost £8 and sport plays all day on big screens, is where many drinkers have a story about Culcheth’s most famous son: Andy Burnham. The first northern PM in half a century, Burnham has recalled his upbringing as ‘modest’, but his family also ‘didn’t want for anything’. Now, the man shaped by this Warrington suburb is making good on a promise to ‘do things differently’.
Before he stepped inside No 10, Burnham vowed to change British politics. On social media, he’s already way ahead of his predecessor. His team have done away with Keir Starmer’s buttoned-up operation, opting instead for a style that draws comparisons to New York mayor Zohran Mamdani. His TikTok page reveals a man who enjoys memes, comments with emojis, collaborates with influencers and chats policy while pouring a pint. Policy announcements are shot in vertical videos, ideal for mobile consumption on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
“Andy Burnham becomes first northern PM in 50 years, blending Culcheth roots with TikTok style inspired by Zohran Mamdani.”
“He’s gone all in on the TikTok style,” said Andrew Chadwick, professor of political communication at Loughborough University. “So far, he’s had some very simple, clear policy pledges that cut through.” Searches for “Andy Burnham” on TikTok surged by more than 2,000% day on day in the UK when he became prime minister on Monday.
Burnham’s first day began with a handheld video outside a centre for the London-based homelessness charity The Passage, promising to end rough sleeping “at the first opportunity”. A “day one” montage showing him inside The Passage, meeting his cabinet and speaking outside No 10 received more than 820,000 views. His team also posted videos starring influencers: he joined Sir Mo Farah for a jog through London as part of the gold medallist’s YouTube series Run With Mo, reposted to Farah’s 1.9 million Instagram followers. He also took part in the viral Career Ladder series with Ukrainian internet personality Max Klymenko, who has more than 9 million TikTok followers.
These collaboration deals offer Burnham exposure to new audiences, but the real test will be whether this fresh approach can deliver on the hopes of his hometown. In Culcheth, people are hopeful about what one of their own can achieve.