From discussing the merits of various pub snacks to making fun of his own appearance, Britain’s new prime minister is taking on populist parties such as Reform UK on the social media platforms where they have built a huge following.
Andy Burnham’s natural ease in communicating with voters was one of the main reasons why his Labour Party unceremoniously dumped its previous leader and prime minister, ex-lawyer Keir Starmer, and replaced him with the mayor of Greater Manchester.
After just two weeks, Burnham’s quirky posts are getting millions of views on TikTok, X and Instagram, with a message designed to be positive, rather than polarising click-bait, experts say.
While it does not in itself address the immense challenges of kickstarting a stagnant economy and improving living standards, they say he has seized the opportunity to build up a following, knowing that soon enough his messages may have to be more uncomfortable.
James Lyons, former director of strategic communications for Burnham’s predecessor Keir Starmer, who also used to work for TikTok, said Burnham was taking a different approach from the left-wing Greens or Reform UK.
“Instead of being polarising, he’s just seeking to be popular and inclusive,” said Lyons, now at the corporate advisory firm Penta Group.
“He’s pulling off the very, very difficult trick of being very serious about what he’s doing as prime minister, but not taking himself too seriously.”
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