{
  "id": 10834345,
  "title": "Gordon Brown can’t stop talking to Andy Burnham’s team",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/gordon-brown-cant-stop-talking-to-andy-burnhams-team",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-30T02:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/gordon-brown-cant-stop-talking-to-andy-burnhams-team/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, known for his tenure between 2007 and 2010, has been making frequent contacts with Andy Burnham's new government, seemingly unable to resist offering advice. Burnham, who served in Brown's government as health secretary, is now under scrutiny for his interactions with Brown, who continues to reach out via emails in capital letters.\n\nBurnham, who has been Prime Minister for just 10 weeks, has praised Brown for his leadership during crises, such as the financial crisis in 2008. Burnham believes the UK can once again lead the world through innovation and unity. He has brought in several of his Brown-era colleagues, like Ed Miliband as foreign secretary, and appointed them to key roles in the government.\n\nMiliband, Miliband's former adviser, has mentioned having late-night phone calls with Brown while in New York at the UN General Assembly. Healey, the current Chancellor, receives bold-capped emails from Brown. Alexander, Scotland Secretary, has also received similar communications from Brown.\n\nNew Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra, who appreciated Brown's constant support, has similarly received emails from Brown, sometimes in capital letters. Brown's role as adviser on global finance and cooperation is unpaid and part-time but has still resulted in late-night interactions with ministers. Despite his new position, Brown continues to demonstrate his influence and determination to remain actively involved in the political landscape.",
  "summary": "With his constant stream of late-night emails and private phone calls, Labour’s former leader won’t leave cabinet ministers in peace.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Guardian Business",
        "title": "Andy Burnham announces new homes scheme for first-time buyers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/andy-burnham-announces-new-homes-scheme-for-first-time-buyers",
        "published": "2026-09-26T16:19:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Politico EU",
        "title": "Andy Burnham to go ‘further and faster’ than Keir Starmer on Brexit reset",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/andy-burnham-to-go-further-and-faster-than-keir-starmer-on-brexit",
        "published": "2026-09-28T12:12:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "City AM",
        "title": "Andy Burnham can’t treat Heathrow expansion as a local planning issue",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/andy-burnham-cant-treat-heathrow-expansion-as-a-local-planning-issue",
        "published": "2026-09-29T04:36:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}