Class act: The working-class game binding London and Canberra

When British Prime Minister Andy Burnham first spoke with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, they discussed rugby league, a working-class sport that holds a special place in both countries. Albanese, who grew up in social housing and played rugby league, expressed his desire to see the Australian national team, the Kangaroos, tour the United Kingdom soon.

Burnham agreed to support Albanese's team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, in return. Both leaders understand rugby league as a sport that embodies their working-class roots and democratic values, which they can use to connect with voters in post-industrial Northern towns in the United Kingdom. Rugby league's origins in 1895, when clubs in the north of England broke from Rugby Union to compensate players for lost wages, mirrors the social and economic struggles faced by working-class communities in both countries.

Both Burnham and Albanese recognize the importance of rugby league in fostering a sense of community and belonging among those who may otherwise feel marginalized by other political movements.