Andy Burnham has announced he will donate 15% of his MP's salary to local causes in his constituency of Makerfield, continuing a practice he maintained as mayor of Greater Manchester. The current MP salary is £98,599, and several MPs donate all or part of their earnings to charities in their areas.
Announcement and context
Burnham, who is expected to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister next month without challengers, made the announcement in a video posted online. As mayor of Greater Manchester, he earned an annual salary of £118,267 and donated part of it to selected causes. “One thing that I want to continue from my time as mayor of Greater Manchester is donating 15% of my salary,” he said. “I did that for nine years as mayor to tackle homelessness in Greater Manchester and I am going to carry it forward as MP for Makerfield but this time donating to worthy local causes at the heart of our communities.”
First beneficiary
Burnham said he would start with the Stubshaw Cross community and sports club, a local venue that served as his campaign headquarters during the byelection in which he defeated Reform UK. It was formerly known as the Stubshaw Cross Labour club.
Other MPs donating salaries
Other MPs who donate all or part of their salaries include Rupert Lowe, the former Reform UK MP who now leads his own Restore Britain party. He said after his election in 2024 that he would donate his net MP salary to charities and worthy causes in his constituency of Great Yarmouth. Ellie Chowns, the Green MP for North Herefordshire, announced after her election that she would donate a large part of her salary to charities. “I feel it’s important for me to live on an average income so that I can remain in touch with what life is like for ordinary people,” she wrote at the time.
Potential prime ministerial salary
As prime minister, Burnham could expect a total salary of more than £174,039, combining his MP salary and a ministerial salary. A number of other MPs from different parties are signed up through the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to make donations via the Give As You Earn scheme.
