𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Newly-elected member of parliament for Makerfield Andy Burnham caused uproar in the House of Commons earlier today with his reply to sitting MPs. Mr Burnham returns to parliament after a nine-year absence when he stepped down from his Leith seat in 2017. The Makerfield by-election that had the Mayor of Greater Manchester receive 55% of the vote fast-tracked him into the Houses of Parliament.

During the swearing in of the Labour MP, an unnamed member of the House of Commons shouted four words at Burnham. It appeared to be a reference to both a Monty Python film and the assumption that Burnham would become the next Prime Minister after Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation.

A member of parliament can be heard shouting at Burnham in the House of Commons. They shouted: “You’re not the Messiah.” The comment makes reference to the Monty Python film, Life of Brian, in which the titular Brian is mistaken for Jesus Christ.

Burnham then replied: “Naughty boys.” This marked another reference to the John Cleese-starring film, where the mother of Brian brands him “not the messiah, he’s a very naughty boy.” The swearing in of Burnham as an MP comes just hours after Sir Keir Starmer announced he was quitting as Prime Minister.

Calls for a general election have been made by both Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Farage told Sky News: “On a human level, I’m sorry for [Sir Keir Starmer] that he failed, and I think he’ll be upset but I think the British public will be upset. Most of the things this Labour Government did were not even in their manifesto in 2024.”

Burnham, when asked about the possibility of a general election in the near future, said people are “jumping several hurdles” as to his current responsibilities in government.

He told a reporter on the platform at London Euston: “You are jumping several hurdles there, my priority today is to be sworn in as Makerfield MP. “It’s been very sad for me today to leave Greater Manchester. The people have been brilliant to me. I have loved every minute of the role. I hope I leave Manchester in a better place.”