Story summary
Andy Burnham, the UK Prime Minister, canceled official engagements for Monday and Tuesday following the death of his father Roy, who was 86 years old and had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Roy had not known that his son had become Prime Minister due to the severity of his condition. Opposition politicians offered condolences to Burnham and his family.
Burnham had planned to host a meeting with business leaders in Downing Street on Monday and speak at the annual trade union TUC Congress in Brighton on Tuesday but postponed these events following his father's death. In July, Burnham spoke about his father’s illness influencing his determination to reform adult social care in England.
Paul Edwards, Chief Nursing Officer at Dementia UK, expressed condolences and noted that Burnham’s openness about his family’s experience with dementia has helped raise awareness about the challenges faced by those with the condition and their families.
Written for “Burnham Father Dies” on 2026-09-14,
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Andy Burnham's father Roy has died, with the Prime Minister cancelling his meetings today and tomorrow, Downing Street has said.
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Street → see → meetings
Shortly before becoming PM, Mr Burnham spoke of a 'sadness' that his father would not be aware his son was taking on the top job due to him suffering with Alzheimer's.
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him → become → Alzheimer
'That's a sadness because he would be (proud),' Mr Burnham said in July, as he described visiting his father in a care home just before he took office.
'The way I look at it, it's his achievement as well.
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it → say → it
A whole family achievement, although he doesn't know it.'
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he → know → it
Mr Burnham has often said his father's Alzheimer's – the most common cause of dementia – is one of the driving factors behind his bid to reform social care.
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's → say → care
In a speech shortly after he became PM, Mr Burnham vowed to help 'my dad and the millions like him' faced with the unfairness of the current system.
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Burnham → become → system
Andy Burnham pictured with his father Roy, who now has Alzheimer's, and mother Eileen in 2015
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who → picture → 2015
Mr Burnham was on Sunday among 63,000 runners to take part in the Great North Run which he completed in one hour and 57 minutes
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he → take → hour
Burnham was pictured hugging his mother Eileen on July 20 after arriving in Downing Street after being officially appointed as PM by the King
Mr Burnham has promised to 'grasp the nettle' on social care reforms, saying after he replaced Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader: 'I've got personal experience of the system.
'
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I → picture → system
My dad has Alzheimer's and you see what the staff have to put up with.
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staff → have → what
The system's broken.
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system → break → ?
You can't leave social care like this.'
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You → leave → this
Mr Burnham also revealed how Roy was unaware that his son had swung behind one of his political passions, a change in the voting system to proportional representation.
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son → reveal → representation
'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,' the PM told The Times in July.
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PM → think → July
Mr Burnham was pictured hugging his mother Eileen on July 20 at Downing Street after being officially appointed as PM by the King.
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Burnham → picture → King
He and Eileen brought Mr Burnham up in Culcheth, Cheshire, alongside his two brothers.
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He → bring → brothers
Mr Burnham inherited his Catholic faith from his mother and attended Catholic schools during his childhood.
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Burnham → inherit → childhood
The former Greater Manchester mayor has previously spoken about how his non-Catholic father was worried about meeting his mother's family for the first time 'as religion was so important in Liverpool then'.
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religion → speak → Liverpool
The PM was on Sunday among 63,000 runners to take part in the Great North Run.
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PM → take → Run
Mr Burnham completed the half-marathon in one hour and 57 minutes and was raising money for North East charity Changing Lives, which he visited last month to launch a national drive to end rough sleeping.
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he → complete → sleeping
The PM had been due to host regional mayors, entrepreneurs and business leaders for roundtable talks in Downing Street on Monday afternoon.
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PM → host → afternoon
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: 'My condolences to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and all his family.
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Badenoch → say → Burnham
'No matter how old you are, or how much you try to prepare, losing your father is a profoundly painful experience.
'A part of your life that has always been there is suddenly gone forever and it can feel as though a part of you won't ever be the same again.'
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part → try → you
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'My heart goes out to the Prime Minister on the loss of his dad.
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heart → say → dad
From our conversations he sounded like a wonderful man.
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he → sound → man
My prayers are with his whole family as they mourn together.'
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they → mourn → family
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, told MPs on Monday: 'I would like to offer my condolences to the Prime Minister on the death of his father.
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I → tell → father
I'm sure the whole House would want to send our best wishes to him and his family at this sad time.'
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House → want → time
Education Secretary Lucy Powell, a close ally of Mr Burnham, also used an appearance in the Commons to send her 'deepest condolences' to the PM, as well as to Mr Burnham's 'wonderful mum, Eileen, his brothers Nick and John, all the grandchildren and the whole family'.
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Powell → use → mum
Michelle Dyson CB, CEO at Alzheimer's Society, said: 'We are deeply saddened by the news that Roy Burnham – the Prime Minister's father – has died.
'
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Burnham → say → news
Roy Burnham had been living with Alzheimer's disease.
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Burnham → live → disease
The loss of a parent leaves an immeasurable gap in our lives.
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loss → leave → lives
While every family's experience is unique, many of us understand the long and often challenging journey that Alzheimer's disease can bring, not only for the person living with the condition but for those who love them.
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who → understand → them
The Prime Minister has been a longstanding advocate for improving the lives of people affected by dementia, often drawing on his father's experiences.
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Minister → improve → experiences
As mayor of Greater Manchester, he supported dementia-focused initiatives delivered with us, including the expansion of our Singing for the Brain programme, and ran alongside thousands at the Great North Run for Alzheimer's Society in 2024.
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he → support → 2024
Most importantly, he has consistently used his voice to highlight the urgent need for social care and dementia care reforms.
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he → use → care
We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and to anyone else who has experienced the heartache of losing someone to dementia.'
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who → send → dementia
For confidential advice, call Alzheimer's Society's Dementia Support Line on 0333 150 3456
Alzheimer's Society's symptoms checker can help spot the signs of dementia
READ MORE: How to spot if someone you love has warning signs of dementia
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you → call → dementia
