As Andy Burnham enters No 10, observers typically look to the cabinet for influence. But with Burnham, the focus should be 200 miles north—not to Manchester, but Liverpool. Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool city region, has no formal government role but holds a strong claim to the closest personal bond with the incoming prime minister, whom he calls his 'bezzie mate.'
From bricklayer to mayor: Rotheram's journey
Rotheram, 64, a former bricklayer who helped rebuild the Falklands after the 1982 war, is an unknown quantity for many Westminster-watchers. He served as MP for Liverpool Walton for seven years, including a stint as parliamentary aide to Jeremy Corbyn, until 2017 when he convinced Burnham to leave for the newly created mayoral posts in Manchester and Liverpool. Nine years later, Burnham is prime minister.
Speculation on Lords appointment
Rotheram dismissed reports that mayors could be appointed to the House of Lords to make the upper chamber more representative. 'It's only ever crossed my mind in a jokey way,' he said. 'There is all this speculation. I'm gonna be Lord Rotheram of Kirkby, I'm going to be the tsar of such-and-such, I'm going to be the devo minister – all these wonderful things. Great, I wish someone would tell me.' He stated he has no intention of leaving the mayoralty, calling it the 'pinch-me privilege of my life.'
Friendship won't bypass rules
When asked if Merseyside could benefit from his friendship with Burnham, Rotheram quickly shot it down. 'There's a danger that [people] believe we can circumvent the system just because we've got a friendship, and that's not gonna happen. This is public money,' he said. 'The exact same rules are there to stop Boris Johnson feathering the nests of his mates as they are to stop friendship being the only way to get projects delivered.'
Political bromance forged over decades
The pair's bond stretches back to 2008, when Burnham was Gordon Brown's culture secretary and met Rotheram, then Liverpool's lord mayor, during the city's year as European capital of culture. It was cemented when Rotheram followed Burnham to parliament in 2010, becoming drinking buddies bound by a shared feeling of being outsiders in Westminster. They spend time in each other's homes; Burnham's wife, Marie-France van Heel, is friends with Sandra Rotheram. They go to gigs together, sharing a love of Manchester band Courteeners, whose hit 'Take Over the World' became the unofficial anthem of Burnham's failed 2015 leadership campaign, which Rotheram helped lead.
Hillsborough disaster cemented friendship
But it was the Hillsborough disaster that solidified their friendship. Rotheram was at the FA Cup semi-final supporting Liverpool, while Burnham—at Villa Park watching Everton—had friends at the Sheffield Wednesday ground. Together they fought the decades-long battle for justice for the 97 victims and their families.
Devolution agenda and mayoral powers
In his first speech as Labour leader on Friday, Burnham name-checked Rotheram as he promised to 'take power back from Westminster and Whitehall and give it to the place where you live,' extending the devolution agenda he oversaw in Greater Manchester. He cited Rotheram's ambition to put the Merseyrail network in public ownership by 2028. Rotheram and other mayors also want the incoming prime minister to go further on devolving powers over skills, particularly control of technical education for 16 to 18-year-olds. Many have complained about difficulties dealing with the Department for Education in Whitehall.
Plans for health and education commissioners
Under plans given to Burnham's team in recent weeks, mayors would appoint health and education commissioners to oversee local schools, GPs and childcare providers, similar to the role played by police and crime commissioners. The mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, believes Burnham could be 'more radical than most people seem to think,' stressing the importance of local public control of utilities such as energy and water. This was 'a moment to recognise that decisions over everything from planning, skills, education, business rates, growth, transport, health and much more, can be taken at a much more human scale,' he said.
