Minister defends Burnham’s “blokey” style following adviser critique
A minister has denied that Andy Burnham is “too blokey” after reports emerged suggesting that the new prime minister’s advisers advised him to limit references to football and the pub in his social media videos, reports BritPanorama.
Anna Turley, a Home Office minister, came to Burnham’s defence, specifically highlighting a recent post where he ranked bar snacks to promote a business rates cut for hospitality venues. She stated that his approach was effectively “reaching people.”
In comments made on LBC radio, Turley insisted that “the PM is definitely not too blokey.” She added, “If it’s blokey to go to the pub and enjoy football, we’re living in the 90s.”
Turley remarked on the authenticity of Burnham’s videos, describing them as engaging and effective. “I enjoyed his video on bar snacks. I think he is very authentic. That’s who he is, and I think people want to see a politician who is who they are,” she said.
Her statements come in light of reports from No 10 indicating that social media experts had advised Burnham to tone down his “blokeish” content to broaden its appeal. This guidance follows a video featuring Burnham and Chancellor John Healey discussing their favourite pub snacks, which garnered over five million views on X, formerly Twitter.
Burnham consistently incorporates discussions of football and his support for Everton into his social media posts, alongside light-hearted references to pubs and pints.
Despite his popularity, sources indicated that his team has cautioned against some content, suggesting a need to balance his style, with an emphasis on engaging communication. The video included moments where PM Burnham asked Healey when he last purchased pork scratchings in a pub, to which Healey responded, “Two weeks ago.”
Throughout the video, the two politicians engaged in a blind ranking of pub snacks, where Mr Healey ultimately chose scratchings as his top pick while Burnham favored crisps, expressing a particular fondness for pickled onion Monster Munch.
Burnham’s communication style markedly contrasts with that of his predecessor, Keir Starmer, who faced considerable critique for his stiffness and difficulty in connecting with voters. While Starmer struggled to convey a unifying narrative for his government, Burnham’s informal approach seems to resonate more with the audience.
As the dynamics of political communication continue to evolve in the UK, the reception of Burnham’s informal style highlights a changing expectation from politicians in engaging with the public.
