Andy Burnham Appoints James Purnell as Chief of Staff for Potential Government

Andy Burnham has chosen his Blairite former colleague James Purnell as his chief of staff, the Guardian understands, as he begins to finalise his team for government.

The Makerfield MP has picked his former cabinet colleague to be his right-hand man in Downing Street, in one of the most significant decisions he has made since returning to Westminster.

Purnell has indicated he will take the job, though he is understood to still be negotiating terms.

If he does join No 10 it would be a remarkable return to government for the former work and pensions secretary, who resigned in protest against Gordon Brown’s premiership in 2009.

Purnell made his name as a young minister under the governments of Tony Blair and Brown. He resigned as work and pensions secretary in Brown’s government after the 2009 local elections, in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to unseat the prime minister.

He later joined the BBC as director of strategy before becoming chief executive of the lobbying firm Flint Global in 2024.

Burnham and Purnell met as new MPs from the north-west and shared an office in their early years in parliament.

Burnham would joke that whenever there was breaking news, Purnell would get calls from Radio 4 and Burnham from 5 Live, in an indication of the different parts of the electorate to which both men appealed.

Both served as culture secretary, and Purnell also at the Department for Work and Pensions.

After the 2010 election loss, Purnell was offered the chance to be chief of staff to Ed Miliband as leader of the opposition but turned it down.

If finalised, Purnell would become the first major appointment to a putative Burnham government.

The former Greater Manchester mayor re-entered parliament this week and is expected to become prime minister next month after winning the support of his most likely rival, Wes Streeting.

Labour figures are still jostling, however, over who would take senior roles in Burnham’s cabinet, especially that of chancellor.

Many of those around the Makerfield MP want him to choose the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, though others warn this would anger the business community and some unions.

Those on the right of the party argue Wes Streeting would be a more sensible pick, who would be able to reassure the bond markets while also allowing Burnham to pursue some of his more radical policies.