Andy Burnham has recalled that staff at his father’s care home believe his father momentarily recognized him becoming Prime Minister despite his battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Burnham’s father, Roy, lives in a care facility, and the care home’s manager reportedly arranged for Roy to watch Burnham’s arrival at 10 Downing Street on television.

According to Burnham, the care home team positioned Roy’s chair directly in front of the television and gathered around him to prompt recognition. The manager told Burnham that when the Prime Minister appeared on screen, Roy “turned” and appeared to acknowledge his son’s historic moment, albeit briefly.

Burnham shared these details during an interview on the podcast How to Fail with Elizabeth Day. He said he visited his father at the care home six days after assuming office. Before he left, the manager described their efforts to help Roy see Burnham on the television, explaining, “We all knew what time you might be coming up Downing Street so we got Roy in his chair, and we got the telly right in front of him, and six of us stood around him and all said, ‘Roy, look.’” Burnham added that the staff believed Roy “momentarily” understood what was happening.

Burnham has previously noted that his father’s Alzheimer’s prevented him from knowing he would become Prime Minister. Nonetheless, this moment of recognition resonated deeply with him. He also revealed that before delivering his first speech as Prime Minister outside 10 Downing Street, he spoke about his father with his mother, Eileen, whom he embraced at the event.

The experience of supporting his father through Alzheimer’s and navigating the adult social care system has influenced Burnham’s commitment to pursuing significant reforms in social care. His personal connection to the issue has been a motivating factor in shaping his policy focus since taking office.