Andy Burnham has said his father does not know he is becoming Prime Minister because of his Alzheimer’s.

The Labour leader has pledged to “grasp the nettle” of reforming the adult social care system, drawing on the experiences of his father Roy.

Mr Burnham, who took over from Sir Keir Starmer on Monday, said his father was unaware of that.

Speaking before he was invited by the King to form a government, he told The Times: “That’s a sadness, because he would be [proud]. The way I look at it, it’s his achievement as well. A whole family achievement, although he doesn’t know it.”

Mr Burnham said his father was also unaware that he had got behind one of his political passions, a change in the voting system to proportional representation.

He said: “I don’t think he’s ever realised, because of his condition, that I’ve come round to PR, which is one of his missions – to get me to accept that.”

Mr Burnham said the family, including his youngest daughter, had visited his father last Sunday, adding: “We were at his care home. My two brothers were there, my mum was there. So all five of us together, which was a nice thing.”

Reform of the social care system is unfinished business for Mr Burnham, who set out plans for change while he was health secretary in Gordon Brown’s administration.

He described the “broken social care system” in England as “the worst of all worlds” and called it a “massive” priority for the public.

The prime minister-in-waiting acknowledged reform would “require something difficult” after his efforts to do so more than 15 years ago failed.

The Conservatives claimed his 2010 plans to overhaul social care for the elderly with the creation of a national care service for England would mean a “death tax” to pay for them.

“The minute that poster landed with the gravestones, that was it. My reforms were dead,” Mr Burnham later admitted.

Now he has pledged to “expend political capital” on what he said was a long-neglected sector, accusing Westminster of having “flinched” from big decisions for too long.

In his first speech after formally replacing Sir Keir as Labour leader on Friday, he said: “Let’s take a problem-solving rather than a point-scoring approach. Let’s have the courage to fix the big things that politics has neglected, like social care, and have the conviction to go out there together and argue for our plans.”

He added: “I think it’s about being prepared to grasp the nettle. I’ve got personal experience of the system. My dad has Alzheimer’s and you see what the staff have to put up with. It’s not their fault. The system’s broken. You can’t leave social care like this.

“The NHS won’t get back to where it needs to be when you have a broken social care system that can’t keep people out of hospital. So this is massive when it comes to the things that people care about.”

Mr Burnham said that, with the system as it is, people are “paying for care in the most unfair way possible”, likening it to the American healthcare system.

He explained: “The more vulnerable you are, the more you end up paying, so that’s the worst of all worlds and people lose everything that they’ve worked for.

“So you start from there and then you look at the options as to how you make a universal social care system, because that’s what I believe, a national care service. How do you fund that? And we’ll come to those options in due course.”

Speaking in May, he said he did not “resile” from previous comments he had made about abolishing inheritance tax in favour of a levy on estates, which would be used to fund the care system.

Unlike NHS care, social care is not free at the point of use and high costs sometimes mean people are forced to sell their homes to pay for what they need. People with savings worth more than £23,250 are not entitled to help with the cost of care from their council.

Baroness Louise Casey, who is leading an independent review of the sector and is expected to publish her first report later this year, noted in a speech earlier this month that there had been 22 attempts to reform the sector since 1997, none of which had “fixed the foundations”.

In 2019, in his first speech as prime minister, Boris Johnson said the Tories would “fix the crisis in social care once and for all”, but that did not happen.

After coming to power in 2024, Labour was criticised for scrapping plans for an £86,000 cap on the amount anyone in England would need to spend on their personal care over their lifetime, having argued the proposals were not “deliverable” in the time frame.

Burnham: My Dad Doesn’t Know I’m Next PM Because of His Alzheimer’s

Politics is often associated with elections, policies, and public debate, but behind every political leader is a personal life that is rarely seen by the public. The headline “Burnham: My Dad Doesn’t Know I’m Next PM Because of His Alzheimer’s” highlights the emotional intersection between political success and family hardship. It reminds readers that even those who achieve high positions in public life may experience deeply personal moments of sadness that cannot be changed by fame or influence.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition that affects memory, thinking, and the ability to carry out everyday activities. As the disease advances, people may struggle to recognise family members, remember important events, or understand changes in the lives of those around them. For relatives, watching a loved one gradually lose memories can be emotionally challenging. The illness affects not only the individual diagnosed but also spouses, children, and friends who provide care and support.

If a political leader’s parent is living with Alzheimer’s disease, professional achievements may bring mixed emotions. Reaching an important milestone, such as being considered for national leadership, would normally be a moment of pride shared with family members. However, if a parent is unable to understand or remember that achievement because of illness, the celebration may also include a sense of loss. Such situations demonstrate that success in public life cannot remove the difficulties that many families face because of serious medical conditions.

Supporters of Burnham might argue that speaking openly about a family member’s illness helps increase public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. Many families experience similar challenges but hesitate to discuss them publicly because of stigma or emotional pain. When well-known public figures share personal experiences, they can encourage wider understanding, promote compassion, and draw attention to the importance of healthcare services, research, and support for caregivers.

Public discussion of Alzheimer’s disease also highlights the growing social impact of dementia. As life expectancy increases, more families are affected by memory-related illnesses. Governments and healthcare providers face increasing pressure to improve diagnosis, treatment, community care, and support services for both patients and their families. Political leaders who have personal experience with these issues may better understand the challenges faced by millions of citizens and may place greater emphasis on policies related to health and social care.

At the same time, some observers believe that personal stories should not replace discussion of public policy. They argue that voters should judge political leaders primarily by their decisions, leadership skills, and ability to address national challenges. While empathy and personal experience may help a leader understand important issues, effective government also requires sound economic management, practical policies, and the ability to make difficult decisions. From this perspective, personal circumstances should be respected but kept separate from evaluating political performance.

The headline also reflects a broader truth about family relationships. Parents often play a central role in encouraging their children to pursue education, careers, and personal goals. Many people hope to share their greatest achievements with their parents as a way of expressing gratitude for years of support and sacrifice. When illness prevents that moment from being fully experienced, families may feel both pride and sadness at the same time. This emotional complexity is something many readers can understand, regardless of their political opinions.

The issue further emphasises the importance of supporting caregivers. Looking after someone with Alzheimer’s disease often requires considerable time, patience, and emotional resilience. Family members may balance employment, personal responsibilities, and caregiving duties while coping with the gradual progression of the disease. Expanding access to respite care, counselling, specialist medical services, and community support can significantly improve the quality of life for both patients and those who care for them.

Ultimately, the story reminds us that politicians are also sons, daughters, parents, and family members. Their public responsibilities may be highly visible, but their private experiences often reflect the same joys and hardships faced by many ordinary people. Personal experiences with illness can shape a leader’s understanding of healthcare, social care, and the importance of supporting vulnerable individuals, even though those experiences alone do not determine their effectiveness in office.

In conclusion, the headline “Burnham: My Dad Doesn’t Know I’m Next PM Because of His Alzheimer’s” highlights the deeply human side of political life. It illustrates how personal achievement can be overshadowed by the pain of seeing a loved one affected by a serious illness. At the same time, it draws attention to the wider impact of Alzheimer’s disease on families and society. Regardless of political views, the story encourages greater understanding of dementia, appreciation for caregivers, and recognition that compassion is an essential part of any healthy and caring society.