With Andy Burnham widely expected to challenge Keir Starmer for the leadership of the Labour party – and therefore the prime minister’s office – a recent YouGov survey showed that 31% of Britons feel that Burnham looks like a prime minister in waiting, while 27% disagree. A further 42% are unsure.

This contrasts with 25% of Britons who feel leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch looks like a PM in waiting, with 50% saying she does not.

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But what do Britons make of the man who would be king? To dig deeper into public perceptions of the aspiring prime minister, we used our new YouGov AI Interviewer tool to ask respondents simply: “what do you think of Andy Burnham?”

The AI agent then conducted interviews with each respondent, following up on their responses, in order to provide ‘the why’ behind what Britons think. Our qualitative analysis of attitudes, including quotes, can be found below, along with examples of respondent interviews in their entirety.

Character, trust and relatability

Many respondents mentioned Burnham's personal qualities and how he comes across, including perceived honesty, integrity, empathy, working class connection, down to earth manner, communication style, charisma or lack of it, and the extent to which he is seen as trustworthy, likeable or dismissible as a person.

Labour voters in particular were likely to make remarks touching on this theme.

  • To be one of the people. He has a humble background, he sees impoverished and deprived areas and how it affects the wider community and wants to change it. He is in touch with the people, he’s in touch with reality and doesn’t live in a dream world. - Female, 55+, East Midlands, 2024 Labour
  • Appears to have been a good Mayor, down to earth, has common sense and able to read what his constituents feel and need. Stable family man, hard working, personable. - Female, 55+, Wales, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • I've seen him a few times just walking around on his own, he gives a portion of his salary to homelessness, he seems more accessible as he does a weekly call in on the radio - Male, 35-44, North West, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • He seems relatable, reliable and his been the voice and face following the terrorist attack in Manchester - Female, 45-54, West Midlands, 2024 Labour
  • Andy Burnham typifies modern politicians who put style and personality over belief in what they stand for. - Male, 55+, North West, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • Ok unlike Starmer who takes every opportunity to say his parents were working class Burnham doesn’t need to say this - Male, 55+, London, 2024 Green
  • I can’t really I just don’t trust Andy Burnham I think he’s somebody who just likes power for himself, - Female, 55+, North West, 2024 Conservative
Quotes on "Character, trust and relatability"

National leadership readiness

Respondents often questioned whether Burnham is ready for national leadership, including evaluations of his leadership record, cabinet and parliamentary experience, economic decision making, foreign and security policy expectations, and how convincingly he fits the role of a potential prime minister.

  • He comes across as experienced and confident, especially on local issues, but I’m not fully convinced about him on the national stage yet. - Male, 18-24, London, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • I think he seems to have done some good work as Mayor of Manchester. However this does not necessarily mean he will be a good Prime Minister. Also I think there might be some doubt that he will win the by-election. - Male, 55+, Scotland, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • I think he was impressive during the covid pandemic, he was strong and made the right decisions for the people and businesses of Manchester. He proved himself then and I feel after being in charge of Manchester, being in charge of the UK is a natural next step. He’s a good mix of Labour left and centre left and should hopefully be able to unite the party. - Female, 55+, West Midlands, 2024 Labour
  • I think he is probably a good mayor but not experienced to be prime minister and will only make Labour's popularity fall even further - Male, 18-24, South East, 2024 Reform UK
  • As a left oriented member of the labour party he probaby stands a better chance of success as pm than starmer, however the dirty politics of labour dont do him any favours. Yes he has success as mayor but that doesn't automatically translate to pm - Male, 45-54, East of England, 2024 Reform UK
Quotes on "National leadership readiness"

Mayoral record and regional role

Many respondents brought up Burnham’s record as Mayor of Greater Manchester and more broadly as a representative of the North, focusing on transport, regeneration, homelessness, public services, investment and how his regional identity and devolution role translate into perceived effectiveness and representation.

  • He’s genuinely interested in supporting people and the area, and will talk to the public in a way that isn’t condescending. He’s gotten on with many of his policies and managed to see them to fruition. Manchester is better because of him. - Male, 35-44, North West, 2024 Labour
  • He has actually made things happen which is rare. Transport has been overhauled and is effective, he has put education particularly vocational and technical education as a priority for development and he has been a positive and visible representative. - Female, 35-44, North West, 2024 Labour
  • Through 10 years of examples he has shown he can make real change where it matters. And not just flaunt big excessive cost schemes that dont achieve their goal year on year - Male, 35-44, West Midlands, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • I am wary that he's another Boris, and dislike the whole King of North branding. I'm not sure how much credit he deserves for what he achieved in Manchester - was it ALL down to his efforts or did some stuff already have the wheels motion? I worry he will struggle on international stage. But - of all the alternatives to Keir he is the better option so as Labour seem determined to change leader it's a better choice than others - Female, 55+, London, 2024 Labour
  • Back in 2020 he challenged the government when they proposed increasing lockdown restrictions on Manchester. He also spoke out about the cutting back of the HS2 project - Male, 18-24, North West, 2024 Lib Dem
  • His record as Mayor in Manchester demonstrates that he is willing to challenge the status quo and act for people rather than big business. - Female, 45-54, North West, 2024 Labour
  • I think he is a good progressive mayor, and offers a fresh energy to labour party - Male, 18-24, West Midlands, 2024 Labour
Quotes on "Mayoral record and regional role"

Ideology and policy vision

Many respondents – both in criticism and in praise – cited Burnham’s ideology and the policies they think he would enact as prime minister.

  • From what I hear he floundered a little between left and right wing politics under the previous leadership, whereas I see Labour as being historically a left-wing party lead by socialist ideas and unions. He is definately broadly part of that ideology, but I worry him being close to the left centre won't demark a clear enough valley between the Starmer movement of lobbying the right wing of the party and expelling the left. But Burnham is still my first choice for new labour leader - Male, 18-24, Yorkshire and Humber, 2024 Green
  • Because many northern voters feel national politics has been too London-centric for a long time. When Andy Burnham talks about buses, rail, town centres, housing, or regional funding, he’s addressing problems people deal with daily rather than abstract political messaging. - Female, 18-24, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • He has sensible views on the economy and also understands that people need support with social issues such as housing and health - Female, 35-44, South West, 2024 Lib Dem
  • He supported NHS privatisation, the IRAQ war and welfare cuts - Male, 55+, Wales, 2024 Plaid Cymru
  • Starmer is not prepared to tax rich people more even though most rich people say they would be happy to pay more, Burnham knows this and will act on it. In the last 25 years governments now see themselves as managing the economy and have no vision, this has led to a magsged decline - Male, 55+, London, 2024 Green
  • He recognises inequality is an issue, and has ideas as to how to tackle it. In areas such as workers' rights, taxation, public transport, urban regeneration - he has ideas which will at last begin to get us back to where we should be. His ideas don't go far enough, but his way ahead of any other potential prime minister - Male, 55+, London, 2024 Labour
  • He’s clearly popular with locals and has a lot of support there but I don’t like his politics … He’s too left-wing. He’d want us to join the EU again - Female, 45-54, North West, 2024 Reform UK
  • Just like Starmer cares more for the people on welfare rather than those working to pay for it. Wishes to borrow more and would take us back into the EU against the democratic vote to leave in 2016. - Female, 55+, South West, 2024 Conservative
Quotes on: "Ideology and policy vision"

Ambition, motives and loyalty

Respondents also brought up Burnham's ambition and career moves, questioning whether his bids for different roles reflect public service or personal advancement, and debating loyalty to Manchester, party leaders and constituents alongside expectations about accountability for decisions.

  • Mainly the media, portraying him as an alternative to Kier Starmer, and him seemingly flattered by the attention - it comes across as he’d stab a colleague in the back to get their position of power he wants - Female, 35-44, South East, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • I think if he had the best interests of the country he would wait out his term then seek a normal route back into parliament then seek the leadership of Labour. - Male, 35-44, Scotland, 2024 vote not disclosed
  • He is taking a potentially career making or breaking risk. More power to him. The lad has bottle - Male, 55+, South East, 2024 Conservative
  • Yes I think it is disgusting Andy Burnam is forcing a Labour politician to quit his job to make room for Burnam to become a politician. I suspect dirty tactics with large amouts of money changing hands and yes it will be our tax money funding the corruption - Male, 55+, West Midlands, 2024 Reform UK
  • Burnham is an ambitious opportunist with some ability. - Male, 55+, South East, 2024 Lib Dem
  • Andy Burnham has been very successful as Mayor of Manchester, but I suspect that he sees the current situation as his best chance of getting the "Top Job". He's prepared to risk everything for it and one wonders where the mix between personal ambition and what's best for the Nation rates in all of this. - Male, 55+, South East, 2024 Labour
  • I think reasonable ambition is fine but not theatrics and backstabbing - Male, 35-44, London, 2024 Lib Dem
Quotes on "Ambition, motives and loyalty"
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