What Andy Burnham’s online presence says about politics in the digital age - Helen Ryan
Andy Burnham has been known since the beginning of his premiership for being the ‘vibes’ Prime Minister. He is seen as the first ‘Tik Tok PM’ and has lived up to the name through his wide reaching work on social media, participating in internet trends and collaborating with influencers. But he’s not the only politician to use the ever-changing, and growing, digital landscape to his advantage.
Across the world, politics is being impacted by the rapid expansion of social media and digital life. Politicians aren’t just talking heads you see on the evening news; they’re becoming mainstream digital celebrities. By posting on social media alongside constituents, politicians have unlocked a novel way to engage with voters, and get their message across.
This year, we saw the extent to which politicians are able to powerfully capitalise on social media. Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, had little political experience before taking office. But his presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram launched him as the prime candidate. Voters were excited about his message and what he was promising for the city of New York, and eager to have him in office.
The mayoral election and Mamdani himself became the hot topic of the algorithm; influencers took a break from regularly scheduled brand deals to promote the candidate and weigh in on New York politics, even if they didn’t live in the city.
Mamdani had started out in February of 2024 polling under 1 per cent, but after launching his campaign through an online video he soared to win the election with over 50 per cent of the vote. This trend extended beyond New York, as political figures across the US began taking their social media presence more seriously.
So when Burnham is called the Tik Tok PM, he’s not alone. Burnham is jumping onto the quickly moving train of social media, one that more politicians might have to get used to, and fast, if they want to keep up. While people criticise Burnham for the ‘vibe’ he’s curated, largely online, and connecting with voters in the digital world, it’s what helped get him into power.
While Burnham isn’t campaigning to win an election as Mamdani or other politicians in the US are, his adoption of digital presence and vying to remain in touch with the voters is telling of a global political trend.
With everyone’s lives being more open because of social media, there is a newfound expectation for politicians. Everyone is so used to mass consumption of content online, getting their news on everything from pop culture to international crises by looking at their phone, so they’ve come to expect even politicians to take to digital platforms.
People have always searched for ways to hold leaders accountable, and now social media allows people direct access to politics and leaders in a way that hasn’t been seen before.
Constituents are craving authenticity from the people meant to represent them, and they’ve found it in hearing from politicians right from their phone, in casual jargon, and in creative ways that make people want to keep watching.
According to a Downing Street source that spoke to the BBC, Burnham plans to take a "more social first" and "authentic to Andy" approach, with "less high production, polished" going forward. Burnham is finding connection to people throughout the UK by showing up right on their screens in ways that feel authentic to them, pointing to a new direction of political engagement.
But will this sense of authenticity be enough to keep people in support of Burnham? While he may be successful in getting views and popularising his politics on socials, the real test will be what he is able to achieve and follow through on while in office.
Social media isn’t able to make up for poor performance entirely. Take Kamala Harris, in the US. Her presidential campaign in 2024 ran heavily on digital platforms, using pop culture trends like Charli XCX’s ‘Brat Summer’ to promote her as a candidate. But in the end, Harris lost the election, and looking back many people including in her own party regret the extent to which they relied on her social presence when running for president.
People believed in Mamdani and saw him as genuine. His social media presence worked in his favor because he authentically connected with the voters, and they trusted he would follow through with the promises he made to New Yorkers. His posts and content felt real rather than a facade or scheme.
For Harris, people had a harder time trusting she would follow through. Her campaign may have tapped into pop culture moments, but it clashed with her actual political agenda.
Burnham too will face this test. Is his social media presence authentic, will he be able to lead with the same support and momentum he carried online? While he has succeeded in using the vibes to his advantage, possibly getting ahead of a larger wave of a new form of political engagement that is due to hit the UK sooner rather than later, the critics have important points that cannot be overlooked.
Helen Ryan is research and operations assistant at the Bright Blue think tank.