‘He feels more relatable’: Burnham’s conference speech wins praise from drifting Labour voters

The UK prime minister has earned his party a rehearing but the battle of public opinion is not yet won

“He’s offering what no other politician has offered for a long, long time. He actually feels like he’s one of us,” was how Neil, a geography teacher, described Andy Burnham in our focus group on Thursday night.

Neil wasn’t alone in his praise: this group of Labour 2024 voters – some of whom had drifted to Reform, the Tories and Greens during the Starmer era – provided the most positive reception for a politician since Boris Johnson at the height of his Covid-vaccine bounce.