Andy Burnham is officially in the race to become the next prime minister. The ‘King of the North’ has proven himself very popular in Manchester, and recent polling suggests that he’s in a better position to beat Reform than Keir Starmer. But what is he actually like to work with, and does he really have what it takes to step up to the most important job in the country? In this clip from In The Room, Helen MacNamara, former deputy cabinet secretary and Burnham’s ex-colleague, gives her thoughts to co-host Cleo Watson. New episodes of In The Room drop every week. You can listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch on YouTube.

Andy Burnham is talking up his legacy in Manchester - but how much is the success down to him? And do people in Makerfield feel the benefit?

As the Manchester mayor searches for a path towards becoming Prime Minister, City AM sketches out what a Burnham government would look like.