New Prime Minister Andy Burnham's Doncaster connections

As new Prime Minister Andy Burnham settles into life as the country’s new leader at 10 Downing Street, we take a look at his Doncaster connections.

Just like predecessor Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Burnham has close ties with a number of the area’s Labour politicians - and has made several campaign visits to Doncaster over the years.

On Monday, he was welcomed to Downing Street by Baroness Rosie Winterton, the former Doncaster Central Labour MP who represented the constituency between 1997 and 2024 before her retirement and hand over of the baton to Sally Jameson.

Ms Jameson is a keen supporter of Mr Burnham - the pair were recently pictured campaigning together in the Makerfield by-election which led to Mr Burnham becoming PM.

In 2022, when he was Manchester mayor, he met up with Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband, Baroness Winterton and Mayor Ros Jones at an event in the city.

In an address at the Labour party Doncaster North annual dinner he tore into then PM Boris Johnson.

He told the audience: “it is clearer than ever that Boris Johnson and the Conservative Government have failed to deliver for the people of Doncaster.

“Boris Johnson made so many big promises and he isn’t keeping them.

“His Government hasn’t built back better, with the cost of living rocketing for working people.

“His Government hasn’t levelled up, with broken promises on transport, NHS waiting times soaring, and our care system stretched to the brink.

“The legacy of twelve years of Conservative Governments is a low wage, low growth economy, with millions of hardworking families struggling to get by.

“Britain needs a Government that finally puts working people first.”

In 2018, then Don Valley Labour MP Caroline Flint linked up with Mr Burnham to back a campaign for an East to West high speed rail link, serving Doncaster.

And Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh, tasked with running the Cabinet Office and who has been awarded the title of first secretary of state by Mr Burnham, also has connections to the new PM.

She later recalled getting to know Burnham after her mother confronted him at a party hustings in Doncaster, to ask whether he planned to give her daughter a job if his bid for the Labour crown was successful.

Previous PM Sir Keir Starmer also had Doncaster links.

Sir Keir’s wife Victoria comes from Doncaster and his late mother in law Barbara lived in the town before her death in February 2020.

The same year, he returned to Doncaster to make a key speech outside the city’s then unfinished Danum Gallery, Library and Museum on Chequer Road.

Arriving accomanied by Doncaster’s mayor Ros Jones, he opened his speech outlining his Doncaster connections, in front of the facade of what was once the Doncaster Girls High School.

He said: “I’m delighted that we’re here in Doncaster. My wife’s mum was born and grew up here – just next to the racecourse. We’re regulars here. Visiting family friends but also to go to the Leger.”

He married Victoria in 2007 – and during the election campaign, he shared a photo of his wedding day as he spoke about his background, making reference to his Doncaster family connections.

However, in 2024, while attending the St Leger, they were given a frosty reception and subjected to chants of “w***er” and boos by a hostile Town Moor crowd.