Can a good mayor make a good prime minister? Andy Burnham's path to the top of Britain

Britain is debating whether Andy Burnham, the regional mayor of Greater Manchester, is sufficiently prepared to become the country's prime minister. Four current and one former mayor shared their views on whether this role truly prepares Burnham for the nation's highest office.

Andy Burnham has made a name for himself in Britain as the regional mayor of Greater Manchester, but now he is setting his sights higher, on the office of the country's prime minister. In the Westminster Insider programme, four current and one former mayor discussed whether mayoral experience is sufficient preparation for running the entire country.

Mayor versus minister

Claire Ward, the Labour mayor of East Midlands, who once served as a minister in Gordon Brown's government, believes that a mayor has significantly more power than a junior-level minister. In her view, the post of mayor provides practical leadership experience that the lower rungs of the cabinet simply do not offer.

Oliver Coppard, the Labour mayor of South Yorkshire, explained in turn that the role of mayor requires balancing different competing interests, albeit on a smaller scale than being prime minister.

Warning on financial matters

However, critical voices are also being heard. Andy Street, the former mayor of West Midlands, warned that in terms of financial responsibility and party management, which have also been two major tests during Keir Starmer's tenure as prime minister, the mayoral role is "entirely different". Street emphasised that these two areas are genuine challenges for Burnham that managing as a mayor does not prepare one for.

Helen Godwin, the mayor of the West of England, and Kim McGuinness, the mayor of the North East, have stated that they would not remove Andy Burnham from the WhatsApp group connecting Labour mayors even if he were to become prime minister, a lighthearted remark that points to Burnham's strong position among Labour figures.