# Andy Burnham 2015 Labour Party leadership campaign

In 2015, Andy Burnham, the Member of Parliament for Leigh, stood as a candidate for leadership of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. His candidacy was announced upon the release of a YouTube video on 15 May 2015. His announcement involved the promise to "rediscover the beating heart of Labour" and appeal to the aspirations "of everyone".
Burnham was initially considered the frontrunner in the race to succeed Ed Miliband. However the emergence of Jeremy Corbyn as the candidate representing the left-wing faction of the party, in June 2015, and the consequent growth in support for Corbyn's campaign saw Burnham's lead diminish to the point that Corbyn overtook him – this was first reflected in a YouGov poll published by The Times on 21 July.

## Economic policy

In his official manifesto, Burnham pledged to offer "a balanced plan for a strong economy and sound public finances, providing a genuine alternative to Osborne's punishing austerity". His platform involved re-balancing the tax system, by restoring the 50p income tax rate that had been cut in the 2012 budget. He also signaled that he would not introduce the 'mansion tax' that was included in Labour's 2015 election manifesto, calling the proposal "the politics of envy". His other policies included increasing the minimum wage and scrapping the youth rate, to create a "true living wage for all ages" and abolishing zero-hour contracts and unpaid internships. He also announced that he would address the house price and rent crisis by giving councils greater freedom and increased borrowing powers to build more houses, regulate the private rented sector and introduce a land value tax on commercial properties.
In August 2015, Burnham announced that he would commit Labour to "a policy of progressive re-nationalisation" of the railway system. There was some speculation in the media that the announcement was an attempt by the Burnham campaign to align itself further to the left of the party and win back voters it had lost to the Corbyn campaign, as nationalisation had formed a key part of Corbyn's economic policy. He continued to voice his opposition to the TTIP free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, arguing that it would undermine the National Health Service, as it would "open the floodgates" to private healthcare providers. He was also in favour of building a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

## Domestic policy
### Education

During his time as Shadow Education Secretary between 2010 and 2011, Burnham indicated his belief in revitalising the comprehensive education system – a view that he maintained in his leadership election manifesto. He pledged to reject the "growing market of free schools and academies", replace tuition fees with a new graduate tax, and end the charitable status held by private schools.

### National Care Service

One of Burnham's key policies was to integrate social care into the National Health Service. This was a policy that Burnham had first proposed in 2010 as Health Secretary in Gordon Brown's government, and then kept as a manifesto commitment during his campaign for party leader in 2010 and as Shadow Health Secretary in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet. In July 2015, on the 70th anniversary of Labour's 1945 election landslide, Burnham announced that he would establish a "Beveridge-style commission" to look into possible means of funding such proposals.

### Welfare

Following the announcement by Harriet Harman, the acting Leader of the Opposition, that she would position the party to abstain on Iain Duncan Smith's Welfare Reform and Work Bill at its Second Reading in July 2015, Burnham reportedly clashed with her at a shadow cabinet meeting, by arguing that the party should table an amendment instead. However, when the opposition's amendment failed, Burnham followed the party whip by abstaining. Burnham sought to justify his failure to oppose the bill by stating that, if he had defied Harman, he would have caused a major split, consequently weakening the party.
In September 2015, Burnham conceded, in an interview with The Independent, that his abstention had been a major turning point in the campaign and may have cost him the leadership.

## Controversies

Burnham attracted press criticism for claiming £17,000 a year from the taxpayer to rent a London flat, despite owning another within walking distance of the House of Commons. A spokesman for Burnham said that renting out the original flat was necessary to "cover his costs" as parliamentary rule changes meant he was no longer able to claim for mortgage interest expenses.
Burnham was criticised for saying that Labour should have a woman leader "when the time is right", with the New Statesman saying that he had "tripped over his mouth again". He also said that he would resign from the Shadow Cabinet if Labour supported leaving NATO, something which frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn had suggested.
Burnham was criticised for refusing to be interviewed by "The Sun" when it emerged he had given an interview to the newspaper during his previous run for the Labour leadership, and been photographed in the back of a cab for "The Sun".

## Opinion polling

When Ed Miliband resigned on the day following the 2015 general election, Burnham was the bookies' favourite to succeed him as party leader. This was reflected in the first opinion polls that were released days later, with Burnham holding a lead over Chuka Umunna and Yvette Cooper, although the number of undecided voters had the greatest share of the vote. This continued following the PLP nomination deadline, as a poll by The Independent, published on 24 June, showed him opening up an 11-point lead, although Jeremy Corbyn's polling numbers had increased to 25%, from 11% in the previous week.

## Endorsements
### Labour Party leaders

* Lord Kinnock, former Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party (1983–1992)

### Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet ministers

* David Blunkett, former Home Secretary (2001–2004)
* Hilary Benn, then Shadow Foreign Secretary (2015–2016) and MP for Leeds Central (1999–present)
* Michael Dugher, then Shadow Secretary of State for Transport (2014–2015), MP for Barnsley East (2010–present)
* Lord Falconer of Thoroton, current Shadow Lord Chancellor (2015–present)
* Lord Prescott, former Deputy Prime Minister (1997–2007) and former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (1994–2007)
* Rachel Reeves, then Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2013–2015) and MP for Leeds West (2010–present)
* Owen Smith, then Shadow Secretary of State for Wales (2012–2015) and MP for Pontypridd (2010–2019)

### Members of Parliament

* Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth (2011–present)
* Heidi Alexander, MP for Lewisham East (2010–2018)
* David Anderson, MP for Blaydon 2005–2017)
* Luciana Berger, MP for Liverpool Wavertree (2010–2019)
* Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East (1992–present)
* Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central (2010–2024)
* Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West (2001–present)
* Julie Cooper, MP for Burnley (2015–2019)
* David Crausby, MP for Bolton North East (1997–2019)
* Alex Cunningham, MP for Stockton North (2010–present)
* Wayne David, MP for Caerphilly (2001–present)
* Peter Dowd, MP for Bootle (2015–present)
* Bill Esterson, MP for Sefton Central (2010–present)
* Paul Farrelly, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme (2001–2019)
* Rob Flello, MP for Stoke-on-Trent South (2005–2017)
* Yvonne Fovargue, MP for Makerfield (2010–present)
* Pat Glass, MP for North West Durham (2010–2017)
* Mary Glindon, MP for North Tyneside (2010–present)
* Lilian Greenwood, MP for Nottingham South (2010–present)
* Margaret Greenwood, MP for Wirral West (2015–present)
* Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli (2005–present)
* Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish (2005–present)
* Harry Harpham, MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough (2015–2016)
* Carolyn Harris, MP for Swansea East (2015–present)
* Stephen Hepburn, MP for Jarrow (1997–2019)
* Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall (1989–2019)
* Kate Hollern, MP for Blackburn (2015–present)
* Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central (2011–present)
* Graham Jones, MP for Hyndburn (2010–2019)
* Gerald Jones, MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (2015–present)
* Barbara Keeley, MP for Worsley and Eccles South (2005–present)
* Ian Lavery, MP for Wansbeck (2010–present)
* Emma Lewell-Buck, MP for South Shields (2013–present)
* Ian Lucas, MP for Wrexham (2001–2019)
* Holly Lynch, MP for Halifax (2015–present)
* Justin Madders, MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston (2015–present)
* Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central (2015–present)
* Chris Matheson, MP for City of Chester (2015–present)
* Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East (2005–present)
* Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough (2012–present)
* Conor McGinn, MP for St Helens North (2015–present)
* Liz McInnes, MP for Heywood and Middleton (2014–2019)
* Alan Meale, MP for Mansfield (1987–2017)
* Ian Mearns, MP for Gateshead (2010–present)
* Lisa Nandy, MP for Wigan (2010–present)
* Albert Owen, MP for Ynys Môn (2001–2019)
* Teresa Pearce, MP for Erith and Thamesmead (2010–2019)
* Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central (2012–present)
* Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East (2010–present)
* Angela Rayner, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne (2015–present)
* Jamie Reed, MP for Copeland (2005–2017)
* Christina Rees, MP for Neath (2015–present)
* Steve Rotheram, MP for Liverpool Walton (2010–2017)
* Jeff Smith, MP for Manchester Withington (2015–present)
* Keir Starmer, MP for Holborn and St Pancras (2015–present)
* Jo Stevens, MP for Cardiff Central (2015–present)
* Nick Thomas-Symonds, MP for Torfaen (2015–present)
* Anna Turley, MP for Redcar (2015–2019)
* Karl Turner, MP for Kingston upon Hull East (2010–present)
* Derek Twigg, MP for Halton (1997–present)
* Valerie Vaz, MP for Walsall South (2010–present)
* Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test (1997–present)
* Iain Wright, MP for Hartlepool (2004–2017)

### Members of European Parliament

* Theresa Griffin, MEP for North West England
* Afzal Khan, MEP for North West England
* Catherine Stihler, MEP for Scotland
* Glenis Willmott, MEP for the East Midlands and Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party

### Mayors and other municipal leaders

* Peter Soulsby, current Mayor of Leicester (2011–present) and former MP

### Other Labour Party figures

* Lord Levy, businessman, Labour Party fundraiser
* Abby Tomlinson, founder and leader of the Milifandom

### Academics

* Clare Gerada, general practitioner and former Chair of the Council of the Royal College of General Practitioners (2010–2013)

### Artists and writers

* Liam Fray, frontman of indie rock band, The Courteeners

### Celebrities

* Charlie Condou, actor and writer
* Steve Coogan, actor and comedian
* Eddie Izzard, actor and comedian
* Sally Lindsay, actress and television presenter
* David Walliams, comedian, actor and author

### Newspapers and magazines

* Daily Mirror
* Sunday People

### Constituency Labour Parties

* Aldershot CLP
* Ayr CLP
* Banff and Buchan CLP
* Barnsley East CLP
* Barrow and Furness CLP
* Basildon and Billericay CLP
* Beckenham CLP
* Bexleyheath and Crayford CLP
* Bishop Auckland CLP
* Blackley and Broughton CLP
* Blaydon CLP
* Blyth Valley CLP
* Bolton South East CLP
* Bolton West CLP
* Bootle CLP
* Brentwood and Ongar CLP
* Bristol East CLP
* Bristol North West CLP
* Burton and Uttoxeter CLP
* Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire CLP
* Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley CLP
* Chatham and Aylesford CLP
* Cheadle CLP
* Clackmannanshire and Dunblane CLP
* Congleton CLP
* Copeland CLP
* Cumbernauld and Kilsyth CLP
* Dartford CLP
* Derby South CLP
* Don Valley CLP
* Dudley North CLP
* Dudley South CLP
* Dunfermline CLP
* Ealing Southall CLP
* East Kilbride CLP
* East Surrey CLP
* Eastbourne CLP
* Eastwood CLP
* Epsom and Ewell CLP
* Finchley and Golders Green CLP
* Folkestone and Hythe CLP
* Forest of Dean CLP
* Glasgow Provan CLP
* Glasgow Shettleston CLP
* Glasgow Southside CLP
* Gloucester CLP
* Halesowen and Rowley Regis CLP
* Halton CLP
* Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse CLP
* Harlow CLP
* Heywood and Middleton CLP
* Hornchurch and Upminster CLP
* Jarrow CLP
* Kingston upon Hull East CLP
* Kingswood CLP
* Knowsley CLP
* Lancaster and Fleetwood CLP
* Leigh CLP
* Liverpool Walton CLP
* Liverpool West Derby CLP
* Maidenhead CLP
* Makerfield CLP
* Manchester Central CLP
* Mansfield CLP
* Mid Sussex CLP
* Mid Worcestershire CLP
* Middlesbrough CLP
* Midlothian South CLP
* Morecambe and Lunesdale CLP
* New Forest West CLP
* Newcastle-under-Lyme CLP
* North Swindon CLP
* North Tyneside CLP
* North West Leicestershire CLP
* Northern Ireland CLP
* Oldham East and Royton CLP
* Paisley CLP
* Pontypridd CLP
* Poplar and Limehouse CLP
* Pudsey CLP
* Redditch CLP
* Rochester and Strood CLP
* Romford CLP
* Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner CLP
* Rutherglen CLP
* Sefton Central CLP
* Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough CLP
* Sheffield South East CLP
* Slough CLP
* South Leicestershire CLP
* South Shields CLP
* South West Devon CLP
* Southport CLP
* St Helen's North CLP
* Stockton North CLP
* Stoke South CLP
* Strathkelvin and Bearsden CLP
* Telford CLP
* Torfaen CLP
* Tunbridge Wells CLP
* Uddingston and Bellshill CLP
* Wansbeck CLP
* Warrington North CLP
* West Lancashire CLP
* Wirral South CLP
* Woking CLP
* Wolverhampton North East CLP
* Workington CLP
* Worsley and Eccles South CLP
* Wrexham CLP
* Wyre Forest CLP

### Affiliated trade unions

* Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT)
* Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW)
* Musicians' Union (MU)