ANALYSIS – MARTYN BROWN: The Mayor of Manchester must ditch the tetchiness
Martyn Brown is your Westminster Insider. (Picture: Specific)
Let me take you again to the September 22, 2013. It was a sunny morning in Brighton, the primary day of that yr’s Labour social gathering convention. I used to be within the workforce of political journalists taking up Labour MPs within the annual “pleasant” match.
The opposing workforce featured frontbenchers Ed Balls, Jim Murphy, Sadiq Khan and a sure Andy Burnham. Halfway via the primary half, whereas trying a feeble sort out, I unintentionally kicked the long run “King of the North” on the leg. On a violence scale, it was someplace between zero and one. Extra of a tickle than a full-blooded Roy Keane assault.
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Andy didn’t see it that manner, angrily remonstrating with me. I protested my innocence and apologised however the then Shadow Well being Secretary was having none of it. He was rattled and wouldn’t let it lie as the sport went on.
Learn extra: ‘Selfish Andy Burnham revels in his good man picture – he isn’t our saviour’
Andy Burnham throughout a soccer match between Labour MPs and journalists (Picture: AFP/Getty Photos)
Even after the ultimate whistle, as handshakes and a little bit of banter – we received 4-0 – have been exchanged between gamers, Burnham was nonetheless prickly with me. Later that day, by probability, I ran into my soccer nemesis on Brighton seafront.
He was a modified man, smiling and giving me a half man hug earlier than apologising as we continued to talk. Truthful play to him. Quick ahead 13 years and the Burnham tetchiness has been on full show once more.
Because the media circus descended upon the Higher Manchester constituency of Makerfield this week the wannabe Prime Minister had a few run-ins with journalists, together with our very personal Aaron Newbury. It’s unlikely to be the final time because the pressure-cooker environment of what might be crucial by-election in historical past intensifies.
Parliament is in recess once more, which isn’t a nasty factor contemplating the scorching climate and the truth that the Each day Specific workplace within the Homes of Parliament might be round 120 levels Fahrenheit consequently. What it does imply, although, is that the main target of our consideration might be in Makerfield the place Mr Burnham is battling it out with Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon.
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