If Andy Burnham becomes the next UK prime minister, he will discover that success in the job relies not only on political vision but on the strength of the team he assembles.
A mark of Keir Starmer's ebbing authority has been the regular departure of important personnel – he has lost four directors of communications and two chiefs of staff in under two years. Mr Burnham will want at the heart of his No 10 operation a close-knit group that can combine campaigning, communications discipline and policy innovation.
The experience of the successful Makerfield by-election campaign, during which his team operated from a very down-at-heel, old-school working men’s club, should have forged strong bonds. It was an intense month of electioneering that resulted in a decisive victory.
So, who would be by his side?
Ed Miliband
One of the most influential figures in modern Labour politics and a long-standing ally of Mr Burnham. While he lost the 2015 election as Labour leader, he retains great influence in the party, shaping its agenda on energy and climate change.
However, his opposition to granting new drilling licences in oil and gasfields in the North Sea has drawn criticism at a time of high energy costs. It also probably contributed to the Conservatives getting a rare win in Scotland, taking the oil-hub seat of Aberdeen South in another by-election on Friday.
Mr Miliband represents both political experience and left-wing intellectual authority, and he shares with Mr Burnham roots in Labour’s social-democratic tradition. But it is thought that, given his left-leaning policies – his father was a Marxist academic – Mr Miliband might not get the big job of chancellor for fear of spooking the markets.
Widely respected across the party, he should be a significant source of advice and influence and will bring extensive government experience.
Anneliese Midgley
One of the central political figures within Mr Burnham’s wider operation has been Anneliese Midgley who has served as the campaign’s political lead and shaped its direction.
Elected as Labour MP for Knowsley in 2024, she combines parliamentary experience with an extensive background in political organisation and trade union activism.
Before entering Parliament, Ms Midgley served as political director of Unite, one of Britain’s largest trade unions, developing a reputation as an effective campaigner. She, too, has a strong left-wing background, and was an adviser to both Ken Livingstone and Jeremy Corbyn.
Ms Midgley will probably act as a bridge between grassroots campaigners and Westminster politics. Furthermore, her understanding of electoral organisation has made her a central figure in Mr Burnham’s efforts to expand his national profile. Supporters view her as an astute operator capable of achieving political objectives.
Neal Lawson
Neal Lawson is one of the most influential thinkers on the British centre-left and a significant intellectual influence on Mr Burnham’s political outlook.
As director of the Compass think tank, Mr Lawson has long argued for a more democratic form of politics. His advocacy for closer co-operation between progressive parties, and electoral reform, could play a big part if Labour finds itself needing to enter a coalition after the next election.
Mr Lawson’s ideas also align with Mr Burnham’s politics, including constitutional reform, decentralisation and the need to rebuild trust in democratic institutions.
He has publicly praised Mr Burnham for his ability to connect with voters beyond Labour’s traditional base, and has argued that this stems from offering meaningful change rather than incremental adjustments.
While Mr Lawson would be unlikely to hold a formal operational role, he could serve as a top strategic and intellectual thinker for Mr Burnham's government.
Kevin Lee
With Mr Burnham throughout his tenure as Manchester mayor, Kevin Lee is seen as his closest political adviser and right-hand man.
As his chief of staff, Mr Lee has worked alongside Mr Burnham for more than 15 years, and they have a strong and loyal relationship. Their partnership has endured from his boss’s days as an MP to his 2017 campaign to become Manchester mayor and his subsequent nine years in that post.
Mr Lee is seen as indispensable to Mr Burnham’s political machinery, managing campaigns and ensuring organisational discipline. While Mr Burnham is often the public face of big initiatives, Mr Lee acts as the operational architect, turning political ambitions into deliverable plans.
Mr Lee would occupy a senior role at the centre of the operation, providing trusted counsel. He may well retain the crucial role of chief of staff, but this time at the heart of government.
Grace Pritchard
On Friday, it was announced that Grace Pritchard, a special adviser seconded by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, had been appointed Mr Burnham’s head of communications and official spokeswoman.
She will form part of a squad of trusted MPs and backroom staff that Mr Burnham will hope can engineer a smoother operation than its predecessor. Ms Pritchard has clearly won his complete trust and is on track to become communications director in No 10.
That reflects the confidence Mr Burnham has in her abilities. They worked closely together during the Makerfield campaign, and she impressed both Mr Burnham and his team.
Before serving as special adviser to Mr Miliband’s team, she built a reputation for disciplined messaging as communications lead to Yvette Cooper when she was shadow home secretary.
Ms Pritchard is known in Labour circles as a sharp communicator with honed political instincts. Her appointment reflects Mr Burnham’s belief that successful political leadership requires the ability to communicate ideas clearly. She would play a major role in shaping Mr Burnham’s public profile and media strategy.
Donjeta Miftari
With broad experience in both foreign affairs and the more parochial affairs of the last month in Makerfield, Donjeta Miftari is a straight-talking communications specialist.
Crucially, she is trusted by the Westminster media, which will play a vital role in the broader perceptions of a Burnham premiership while uncovering the inevitable mishaps.
A British-Kosovar, her career has included serving as chief communications adviser to Vjosa Osmani, former president of Kosovo, and briefly being a foreign policy special adviser in Downing Street in Mr Starmer’s early days in power. She helped develop the government’s early international strategy, including its first 100-day programme on global affairs.
Before entering Downing Street, she worked as a political adviser to the former justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood. Approachable and well-informed, Ms Miftari has also gained much corporate communications experience at the Institute of Directors and the leading lobbying firm, Hanbury Strategy.
