Andy Burnham honoured a bride's request by not attending her wedding at No 10 North, the government's northern headquarters in Manchester, after she publicly asked him to stay away to preserve her wedding photos. Instead, the prime minister sent a video message to the couple, which they watched on their wedding day.
Bride's TikTok plea goes viral
Sarah Burwin had posted a video on TikTok in July, pleading with Burnham not to work from Heron House on 21 August, the day of her wedding. The building houses the government's northern headquarters and Manchester's register office, where Burwin was due to marry her husband Fred.
In her video, which has reached nearly 1.5 million views, Burwin expressed concern that the security detail accompanying Burnham would ruin the aesthetic of her wedding photographs outside the venue. She said: "I saw you set up your new gaff, No 10 North, at Heron House. I saw it on the news; gorgeous, love what you've done with the place. But I'm actually getting married there on 21 August, and on the news today, the place was surrounded with police, bollards, all sorts. A lot of stuff that wasn't there before."
Burnham's video message to the couple
Burnham did not attend the wedding but sent a video message to Sarah and Fred. In the video, he said: "Thank you so much for the invite. But sadly, I'm honouring your initial request for me to stay out of the way, as I'm filming this as I'm about to leave No 10 North for the day."
He added: "I couldn't let the day go by without sending you both a message. I hope you have the best day celebrating, and thank you for being such a good sport about No 10 North suddenly being a big part of your big day. The DJ set will have to wait for another time, but I hope you play some good tunes on my behalf, big Manchester bangers."
Couple's reaction and No 10 North's role
In a video of them watching Burnham's message, Sarah Burwin could be seen replying: "Oh my God. What a lad. I love him!" The couple appeared delighted by the prime minister's gesture.
Burnham opened No 10 North within the first few days of becoming prime minister, fulfilling a pledge he made before succeeding Keir Starmer. The office falls under his new Office of the Prime Minister, which has incorporated parts of the Cabinet Office, the Treasury, and the housing ministry. It will focus in part on economic growth policy across the country.
In her original TikTok video, Burwin had also joked that Burnham could DJ the afterparty, a suggestion the prime minister acknowledged in his message, saying the DJ set would have to wait for another time. The couple's wedding proceeded without disruption, and Burnham's decision to stay away ensured the bride's photographs were not affected by security measures.
