Andrew Murray Burnham is a British politician who has served as Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. He served in Gordon Brown's Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2007 to 2008, Culture Secretary from 2008 to 2009 and Health Secretary from 2009 to 2010. A member of the Labour Party, Burnham identifies as a socialist and as belonging to the party's soft left. He served as Shadow Home Secretary from 2015 to 2016 and was Member of Parliament (MP) for Leigh from 2001 to 2017.
Burnham in 2016
Burnham as Health Secretary, speaking at an event during the Labour Party conference in 2009
Burnham speaking at the NHS Confederation annual conference in 2014
Burnham giving his final Shadow Home Secretary speech at the party conference in 2016
Mayor of Greater Manchester
The Mayor of Greater Manchester is the directly elected mayor of Greater Manchester, responsible for strategic governance in the region that includes health, transport, housing, strategic planning, waste management, policing, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and skills. The creation of the Mayor of Greater Manchester was agreed between the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, and Greater Manchester's 10 district council leaders. As well as having specific powers, the mayor chairs the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, also assuming the powers of the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner.
Mayor of Greater Manchester
The cross-borough Manchester Metrolink which has grown from 20 stops in 2009 to 92 in 2014.
Manchester Airport is owned by the ten councils of Greater Manchester and produced a £72 million dividend for local councils in 2013.
Image: Official portrait of Tony Lloyd crop 2