James Purnell and Andy Burnham entered Parliament together in their early thirties after the 2001 general election – representing seats in Greater Manchester – and even shared an office
James Purnell is one of Andy Burnham’s oldest political allies with a relationship stretching back decades.
The former Blairite minister, who is being lined up as No10’s next chief-of-staff, and Burnham were fresh-faced special advisers during Tony Blair’s first years in power.
The duo climbed the New Labour ladder together and in the ’90s even played on the same football team, Demon Eyes, which was set up by comms guru Tim Allan, who had a short stint in Keir Starmer’s No10.
The team was named after the Tories’ campaign poster in the run-up to the 1997 general election depicting Sir Tony with the eyes of Satan. Purnell and Burnham entered Parliament together in their early thirties after the 2001 general election – representing seats in Greater Manchester – and even shared an office.
Mr Purnell rapidly rose through the ranks, first becoming a government whip before being promoted to Culture Secretary and later Work and Pensions Secretary. Mr Burnham – another rising star – succeeded him in 2009 as Culture Secretary and joked to The Times after taking the role that he was “purging the Purnellisms” from the office.
But Purnell quit the Cabinet in 2009 and urged then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown to stand aside, warning: “We both love the Labour Party. I have worked for it for 20 years and you for far longer. We know we owe it everything and it owes us nothing. I believe your continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less likely.”
A year later the Blairite MP made the “extremely difficult decision” to resign from Parliament and said he did not want to spend all his life in frontline politics.
But after 16 years out of Parliament – including a decade as a BBC executive and chief executive of lobbying firm Flint Global – a return to frontline politics looks set to be on the cards. He is expected to become Burnham’s right-hand-man in Downing Street as chief-of-staff next month if the ex-Greater Manchester Mayor becomes Britain’s next Prime Minister.
In recent years the chief-of-staff role has been held by Morgan McSweeney for Keir Starmer, Dominic Cummings for Boris Johnson, and jointly by Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill for Theresa May.
As the Prime Minister’s gatekeeper they have enormous power and influence. But all have become a lightning rod for criticism among frustrated MPs fed-up with the mistakes and policy blunders of the government.
One former journalist who knows Purnell well told The Mirror: “James is a great choice by Andy. He’s calm, smart and understands policy.” They said it also shows “Andy is serious about reform” in government.
In Burnham’s recent book ‘Head North’ – co-authored with his friend Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram – Purnell is described as “one of the clearest political thinkers I have ever met”.
It will be a crucial attribute in one of the most demanding jobs at the heart of government.