What does Andy Burnham really believe in?

Dear Londoners – we're hosting a special event in Westminster in a few weeks' time and we'd love you to come. It's about our new prime minister: what he believes in, how he leads and whether his focus on the North will harm – or even empower – London.

We've assembled a panel of leading journalists who have covered Burnham for years and who have different interpretations about what drives him and what he is likely to achieve in government. The event, on Wednesday 9 September, will be the biggest Londoner gathering we've ever organised and a fantastic chance for us to meet some of our readers.

Our panel includes:

• Beth Rigby (Chair): Political editor of Sky News since 2019, Beth has regularly interrogated Burnham on camera, including recently for her podcast Electoral Dysfunction.
• Patrick Maguire: Chief political commentator at The Times and author of two bestselling books on the Labour Party, Patrick is plugged into Team Burnham like few others.
• Helen Pidd: Presenter of The Guardian's Today in Focus podcast and former North of England editor (2013–2024), Helen observed Burnham up close in Manchester for over a decade.
• Joshi Herrmann: Founder of Mill Media, Joshi wrote a widely-shared profile of Burnham — Stop looking for Burnhamism — drawing on six years of covering him up close in Manchester.
• Jack Dulhanty: Staff writer at The Mill who has reported on the GMCA for half a decade — it was his investigation that forced Burnham's advisor Sacha Lord to resign.

Together, they’ll be tackling the crucial questions:

• What actually is “Manchesterism”? Is it closer to Burnham’s left-wing rhetoric or the investor-friendly reality of modern Manchester?
• How does Burnham lead? How does he handle dissent and tough decisions, and what kind of culture has he built?
• Where will power lie? How big a deal is "Number 10 North," and will it succeed in dragging power away from London?

If you have any questions, drop us a line at info@millmediaco.uk.