Zero speeches, zero questions... but one 'selfie': Andy Burnham maintains Commons silence three weeks after he returned to Westminster as Makerfield MP... despite being paid £5.6k

By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 16:23, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 16:25, 13 July 2026 It has been three weeks since Andy Burnham returned to Parliament to a hero's welcome from Labour MPs - but he is still yet to speak in the House of Commons. The former Greater Manchester mayor has not uttered a single word in the Commons chamber since he was formally sworn in as the new Makerfield MP on 22 June, despite earning around £5,600 in that time through his parliamentary salary. But Mr Burnham did find time to pose for a 'selfie' with his new Labour colleagues in Parliament's Westminster Hall. He has also been busy securing his position as Keir Starmer's successor as Labour leader and Prime Minister in behind closed doors meetings. The 56-year-old is set to replace Sir Keir in Downing Street on 20 July after gaining the support of an overwhelming majority of Labour MPs to be the next premier. It means - if he maintains his Commons silence for the remainder of this week - the first time he will speak again in Parliament will be from the despatch box as PM. And that might not even come until September, with MPs due to break up for their six-week summer break this Thursday. There are growing questions about Mr Burnham's mandate to succeed Sir Keir and lead the country as he's not faced a public vote or revealed much of his policy platform.  Andy Burnham has not uttered a single word in the House of Commons chamber since he was formally sworn in as the new Makerfield MP on 22 June But Mr Burnham did find time to pose for a 'selfie' with his new Labour colleagues in Parliament's Westminster Hall As well as declining to speak in the Commons since his Makerfield by-election victory, Mr Burnham exited a major speech at the end of last month without taking questions from the media. He has also ruled out calling a snap general election when he enters Downing Street, despite having previously demanded the Tories go to the polls when they switched leaders while in office. On the same day that Mr Burnham was formally sworn in as MP for Makerfield, two other new MPs - Douglas Lumsden, the Tory MP for Aberdeen South MP, and Lara Bird, the SNP MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry - were also sworn in following by-election victories.  Since that day, Mr Lumsden has spoken 21 times in the Commons chamber, while Ms Bird has made six contributions in Commons debates. Kevin Hollinrake, Chairman of the Conservative Party, told the Daily Mail: 'Not only has Andy Burnham yet to subject himself to questions from journalists, but he hasn't even found time to speak in the House of Commons. 'It is clear he has simply used Makerfield as a springboard to become Prime Minister and is not interested in the issues affecting the people he was elected to represent. 'Meanwhile, Douglas Lumsden MP, elected on the same day, has got straight to work for the people of Aberdeen South and has already been making the case to Get Britain Drilling Now.' The Tories have called for Mr Burnham to appear before MPs ahead of their long summer holiday given how little is known of his plans for Britain. They said it would be 'unacceptable' for Labour's next leader to continue to escape scrutiny by becoming PM next week after Parliament has already risen for six weeks. They are calling on Labour to delay the lengthy recess for one more sitting day so that Mr Burnham can address the Commons and face questions from all sides on his policies and choice of ministers. When Mr Burnham was sworn in as the new Makerfield MP on 22 June, one MP heckled him, saying: 'He's not the messiah'. In a nod to Monty Python's Life of Brian, Mr Burnham replied: 'Naughty boy.' Later the same day, Labour's so-called 'King of the North' posed for pictures with scores of his new parliamentary colleagues. Mr Burnham was welcomed into Westminster Hall with a round of applause and was accompanied by deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell and Jessica Morden, chairwoman of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Labour chief whip Jonathan Reynolds were among the Cabinet ministers at the photo call, along with former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner. Mr Burnham's team did not respond to a request for comment.