Who are Andy Burnham's key aides and allies?

Kevin Lee serves as Burnham’s chief of staff and right-hand, with more than 15 years of shared political work across shadow cabinet, mayoral campaigning, and nine years as mayor. The operation is expanding to add staff as demand for communications around the byelection grows. Josh Simons, former Makerfield MP, has joined Burnham’s side without a formal role yet, campaigning alongside him and bringing a policy and academic background focused on revitalising Labour. Some MPs worry Burnham’s team is not yet strong enough to mount a genuine challenge to Starmer. Anneliese Midgley leads political work, with a trade unionist background and prior roles in major Labour projects. Louise Haigh and Lucy Powell provide senior parliamentary support and help drive policy and campaign momentum.

"Kevin Lee is Burnham's chief of staff and right-hand man. The pair have worked together for more than 15 years, including during Burnham's time in the shadow cabinet, his campaign for the Greater Manchester mayoralty and then his nine years as mayor. Josh Simons, the former Makerfield MP. Lee is considered indispensable to Burnham's political operation and they come as a team but the operation is expanding to bring in extra hands to help with an explosion of demand for communications around the byelection."

"Another politico now by Burnham's side is Josh Simons, the former Makerfield MP who stood down to make way for him. He does not have a formal role yet but has been campaigning alongside Burnham in the constituency. He comes from a policy and academic background, and is not short of ideas on revitalising Labour. However, some MPs who support Burnham have begun fretting that the close team he will need to mount a genuine challenge to Starmer is not yet strong enough."

"Anneliese Midgley is an MP and organiser working as the campaign's political lead, with a solid history as a trade unionist who worked as political director of Unite. She is now central to Burnham's operation to win in Makerfield and represents the nearly neighbouring constituency of Knowsley. A former adviser to Ken Livingstone and Jeremy Corbyn, she was also key to Starmer's project before her election as an MP."

"One of the most prominent members of the Tribune group in parliament is the former transport secretary Louise Haigh, with the group setting out a programme for economic renewal and a more active state earlier this month. She has been a key ally of Burnham among MPs and is helping with his campaign. Other senior supporters of Burnham include Lucy Powell. As deputy leader of the party, Powell has been loyal to the government but she is also an ally of the mayor and a fellow Manch"

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