Little known beyond the Labour Party ranks, Anneliese Midgley is set to become a powerful operator in Andy Burnham’s incoming administration.She was one of those he singled out as a “strong Northern power women” who helped deliver his Makerfield election victory. She is also a Britpop-loving fan of English literature who has now advised three Labour leaders and is in line for a Cabinet post. Ms Midgely has been widely credited with helping Mr Burnham find a route back to parliament to allow him to challenge Keir Starmer’s ailing premiership. Anneliese Midgley could become Andy Burnham's right hand in government. Getty ImagesInfoShe was a key strategist in the Makerfield by-election, serving as one of the trusted figures at the heart of Mr Burnham’s campaign. It was Ms Midgely, 50, who welcomed Burnham on to the stage at the by-election victory rally last month and later became one of just two MPs chosen to formally introduce him during his Commons swearing-in. She briefly served as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s deputy chief of staff but her main role was stabilising relations between the party's leadership and its MPs. Golden threadThat role could well prove vital in a Burnham government, with many in Labour’s glut of 403 MPs feeling ignored during Mr Starmer’s tenure. Ms Midgely could well become the next enforcer of party discipline as chief whip. Anneliese Midgley. Her 'politics are definitely on the left but she is not at all abrasive about it'. AlamyInfo'Everyone's friend'A senior Labour figure who worked with her in the Corbyn period described Ms Midgely as “a very pleasant and intelligent woman”. “She's not really a fighter in internal Labour politics and makes friends with everyone,” he told The National. “Her politics are definitely on the left but she is not at all abrasive about it. She likes to be friends with everyone, which can be a shortcoming.” Ms Midgley is now poised to advise her third successive Labour leader, which is an extraordinary feat in a party that has witnessed bitter ideological conflict over the past decade. That ability to thrive in a politically toxic atmosphere has intrigued Westminster observers. Despite Labour crashing out of Mr Corbyn’s hard-left project and likely drawing back from Mr Starmer's more centrist position, Ms Midgley, who advised both, remains influential. Rather than belonging to a faction, she describes herself as “a Labour tribalist” and “Old Labour”, whose priority is to unite rather than divide. That has proved important during times of turbulence, with her diplomatic skills frequently called upon to address factions. Anneliese Midgley addressing the House of Commons. ReutersInfoStorming parliamentShe is seen as a principal political operator, with the possibility of a cabinet position how presenting itself, perhaps as chief whip, party chairwoman or culture secretary, given her background in music and literature. Her route into politics was anything but conventional. Raised on a tough housing estate in Knowsley near Liverpool, Ms Midgley left home aged 17 to work at Paris's renowned Shakespeare & Company bookshop before immersing herself in Britain's music scene.She organised club nights in Liverpool, worked for Britpop icons Pulp, wrote for the music press and was married for a period to Bob Stanley of indie-pop group Saint Etienne. Ms Midgley was drawn to politics when she came to the attention of left-wing mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, who noticed her printing badges in support of his London congestion charge in 2003. She then found what she called her “political home” in the trades union movement, eventually becoming political secretary to former Unite leader Len McCluskey before moving through Labour’s senior ranks. She later served as one of Mr Starmer's senior advisers before becoming an MP with a huge majority in Knowsley in 2024. Like Mr Burnham, she was a strong campaigner for the “Hillsborough Law” to impose an obligation of candour on officials during inquiries, legislation that passed through the Commons on Tuesday. She has also campaigned for artists’ rights, particularly in relation to the misuse of artificial intelligence. Ms Midgley’s greatest strength in the administration will be her ability not to be pigeonholed into one of Labour’s many tribes, allowing her bridge-building skills to come to the fore.