EXCLUSIVE: Liverpudlian singer-songwriter Jamie Webster has praised Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham and says that he believes the MP will be more approachable to the public
Jamie Webster believes that Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham will “give the north a voice”. It comes days before Burnham is expected to be announced as the leader of the Labour Party, following Keir Starmer’s resignation last month.
Liverpudlian Jamie believes that with Burnham in Number 10 – whether that’s Downing Street or No 10 North – people from all backgrounds will feel heard and seen. And the 32-year-old has first-hand experience with the future PM, having spent time with him at none other than Glastonbury Festival.
“I think it’ll help the North a lot better,” he said of the fellow Scouser becoming the next PM. Jamie added: “If anything, what Andy Burnham does is he makes politics a bit more approachable.
“At least we can maybe be heard up here in the North, and real people can actually have a voice, and get it to the right places.” Speaking about his experience with Burnham, Jamie commented: “I have met Andy a few times, and from what I have with my own personal experience, which is all you can ever really judge people off in the first instance, isn’t it?
“My personal experience with Andy’s always been really good; he’s always been really polite, really friendly, had a lot of time, not just for me, but other people around him. And, I’ve actually spent a bit of time in Glastonbury with Andy. I don’t think Keir Starmer’s ever been to Glastonbury.”
Hailing from Liverpool, Webster praised Andy for his work surrounding Hillsborough and the constant fight the former Mayor of Greater Manchester put up. But for Jamie, who today shares the video for his latest single, Small Town Life, he admits that the current political turmoil makes it a “strange time” to be releasing music.
“I do genuinely believe that these songs and this album reflect some of my best work, and, hopefully, that shines through no matter what the political agenda is,” he said of his upcoming album, Running Round The Sun.
Speaking about creating a record amidst the turmoil of the last three years, Jamie said: “I’d lost my sense of what I’m writing about, what I’m writing for. I had a bit of a period where I found it quite tough, but I just put my faith in my stories and my storytelling and the people really, and I thought, ‘I’ll just write about people and and and life,’ and it’s got to shine through whichever side of the fence you’re on, because, you know, the big thing today is about immigration, I suppose. But, you know, it’s not really a concern of mine, immigration.”
Jamie says that his music is approachable for all but targets those from a working-class background. “It’s about a chance for change, take back a bit of our power and have our voices heard,” he said. Jamie added: “I just think, with my songs, they’re about how you can maybe get ahead in life, the little victories that you can take from your day, which is going to put a smile on your face when you go home from work.”
But this record is a lot more personal for Jamie – laying his heart bare like never before. The record, he says, has “got more gears” than his previous releases, including 10 for the People, released in 2024, and charted at Number 2. On Running Round The Sun, rather than walking parallel paths to his listeners, Jamie is walking the same path, telling their story of social commentary and the community build-up.
While he looks up to the likes of Bob Dylan, Jamie admits he’ll never shy away from sharing the stories of the “quirks and struggles” and escaping working-class life. “My message is that we should all just look after each other a bit more and help each other out,” he said. And that message runs throughout his career. While he could book a huge artist as his support on tour, Jamie instead gives younger musicians a platform to nurture their talent and build a following.
The musician praised Sam Fender, who has been open about his struggles growing up before dominating the world chats. As well as fellow Liverpudlians, The Beatles, and Wrexham’s The Royston Club. He said: “There are up-and-coming bands, as well, like The Royston Club, who are doing really well at the moment, you know. Four lads from Wrexham, they’ve been in Liverpool a couple of years, and they work harder than anyone I’ve ever known, and now they’re reaping the rewards for it.”
“Take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously,” he advised up-and-coming musicians. His video for Small Town Life, while the production is heavily focused on Liverpool, Jamie admits that the message reaches the surrounding areas he’s been to, whether it be travelling for gigs or football matches.
“No, this is my town, and it might not be perfect for you, but it’s real,” he said of the message throughout the video. And throughout, there is the sense of community, whether it be from the children’s football matches, visiting a café and seeing a young busker on the streets, honing their craft.
And it’s packed with famous faces – The Royale Family’s Ricky Tomlinson, former MMA star Molly McCann, Toni Duggan and Paddy Rowan – all Scouse legends in their own rights. “Ricky Tomlinson’s just a national treasure,” Jamie said, adding: “I’ve become a good friend of his, and I just thought, he is, if you had to look at like, a real salt of the earth character, you know, you can’t go much further than Ricky Tomlinson, can you?”
The young busker in the video is actually a fan of Jamie’s, who had been sending him videos and messages since the age of 11, now aged 15, Jamie instantly jumped at the chance to give the young lad a chance to shine. Jamie said: “His name’s Ollie Hobson, and it was brilliant for him to do it, he had the best day of his life, you know, just being around all the cameras, and he just loved it. It was the first time he’d actually met me in person, and he is a, like I say, he’s a die-hard fan.”
Despite having three Top 10 albums, Jamie isn’t signed to a major label and isn’t on any major radio playlists. But thanks to his die-hard fans, he’s managed to achieve success that some can only dream of. This includes selling out arenas, as well as 30,000-capacity parks in Liverpool.
Speaking about the lack of support he has received from major labels and radio shows, he said: “I got a bit down about that, but I thought, ‘It’s not about them, it’s about me and the fans and the journey that we’re on and the music that I’m making and the principles that I work by and everything else.’
“I’d rather have my head up high knowing that I’m standing on my own two feet, on the right side of history and talking about the right things and using my platform for the right reasons. I’m probably prouder than if I’d have sold out and gone to a stadium artist overnight.”
Later this year, Jamie is hitting the road for a string of intimate shows, travelling to cities such as Sheffield, Manchester, London, Bristol and the Isle of Man. “I’m always excited, but I’m always nervous,” he said of being back on stage. “Once you get on stage and the first song starts playing, the best way to describe it is addiction,” he noted, adding: “As soon as I get on stage and I see the fans and I hear them scream, and I start playing my music, that’s like when the drug kicks in again and I’ve got my fix.”
There’s no stopping Jamie once he’s in the zone; the adrenaline and euphoria take over, transporting him to a state of heaven. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a 300-cap venue or a 30,000-cap venue – the feeling will always be the same. “It still feels just as special every time,” he said.
Jamie added: “Everything stops when you get on stage, and the adrenaline and the euphoria take over, it’s like, it’s almost like your most perfect physical version of yourself. There’s nothing else, there’s just you and the music and the fans.” Marking five years of his debut record, We Get By, last year, Jamie embarked on a small acoustic tour, but this time, he’ll be back with a full band tour.
And grassroots music venues and grassroots artists remain just as important to him. “I gave loads of artists coming through support slots at that time,” he said. And his own tour will see him play a full 18-song setlist, rather than a 45-minute festival slot. But while it’s currently the summer, Jamie will be enjoying his summer in October due to his upcoming tour and festival slots, before heading to America, Canada and Australia.
Jamie is taking time out to enjoy things more than he already does. “I’ve played 300-cap Zanzibar, to Sefton Park, the Other Stage at Glastonbury, Leeds, Reading, all these major festivals,” he said, but while he enjoys every gig, he said he will be taking time to stop and soak in the success even more.
Small Town Life is available now. Running Round The Sun is set for release on September 4.
Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.