Andy Burnham says hospices must be “properly funded and sorted out” before assisted dying law

Mr Burnham has previously described himself as “not particularly religious”, but asserted that “Catholic social teaching underpins my politics” – although he admitted finding himself “at odds with” the Church on some moral issues over the years.

While the former mayor of Greater Manchester has been described as the first Catholic to enter Number 10 as prime minister, Church law dictates that this was actually Boris Johnson.

The Conservative leader was baptised in the faith and then confirmed as an Anglican as a teenager – but according to canon law once a person is validly baptised into the Catholic Church they remain so throughout their life, even if they stop practising or take up another religion.

Sir Tony Blair converted to Catholicism but not until after he had left Number 10, and the majority of British prime ministers over the years have been Anglican.

Rishi Sunak became the first British Asian prime minister and described himself as a devout Hindu, while Benjamin Disraeli – who held office in the 1800s – was the first and so far only Jewish premier.

The leader of Catholics in England and Wales, Archbishop of Westminster Richard Moth, has told of his hopes that Mr Burnham’s premiership can be an important milestone and that a “real concern for humanity” will feature, having “come from his Catholic understanding”.

Having previously met with Sir Keir Starmer, the archbishop has indicated he also looks forward to meeting the new PM for discussions when he takes up the role.

Mike Kane, a member of Catholics for Labour and current MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, said Mr Burnham was “clearly pleased to be getting the support of certainly the Catholic hierarchy in the UK as part of this transition”.

Speaking as part of a Religion Media Centre event this week, Mr Kane said Mr Burnham “embodies” the principles of Catholic social teaching, such as the common good, peace, dignity of work and care for the poor.

As mayor, Mr Burnham pledged to donate at least 15% of his salary to help the homeless in Greater Manchester and Mr Kane said that shows the would-be PM “walks the walk for sure when it comes to putting his faith into politics”.

In an interview just over a decade ago, he described himself as “Catholic by upbringing, but I’m not particularly religious now”.

Mr Burnham told the Huffington Post in 2015 that his children went to a Catholic school and that he believed “in the values and the grounding it gives you, I’m a very big believer in that”.

He said: “Catholic social teaching underpins my politics, we did have to read the catechism at school, but it is powerful and strong and right.”

In contrast to the teaching of the Catholic Church, he voted in favour of same-sex marriage in 2013, having told Pink News in 2010 he is “somebody who believes in the absolute equality of every human being and that should be equal in the eyes of the law”.

In that same interview he noted: “As somebody who grew up a Catholic, I often find myself at odds with the Church in how they deal with moral issues. It’s always been the case that as an MP I’ve felt at odds with the Church.”

A potential area of tension with the Church in this parliament could come on the issue of assisted dying.

He has previously indicated his support for the principle of assisted dying – something the Catholic leadership is staunchly opposed to, arguing that “life is a gift and equally valuable even in times of suffering”.

But Mr Burnham caveated his support as requiring that hospices would be “properly funded and sorted out” before any new law was implemented.

In 2024, just before the first Commons vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, Mr Burnham told BBC Manchester he would “probably vote in favour of it”.

When he was previously an MP he abstained from a 2015 vote to legalise assisted dying because of concerns over safeguards and people feeling under pressure.

But he said he had “family experience in the nine years since that has changed my view”.

He said: “I think we do allow people to suffer and families to suffer too much.”

The Bill, sponsored by Labour MP Lauren Edwards – who has taken the baton from her party colleague Kim Leadbeater – is back for debate in the Commons on September 11, at which point Mr Burnham will be among MPs with an opportunity to have his say and cast his vote.

His predecessor Sir Keir voted in favour of the Bill brought by Ms Leadbeater.