Prime Minister Andy Burnham has confirmed the death of his father, Roy Burnham, who had been living with Alzheimer’s disease. Downing Street has announced that the PM will not attend any official engagements today or tomorrow, including a planned meeting with business leaders at No. 10. Burnham’s father had been residing in a care home, and the Prime Minister has previously spoken openly about his father’s illness and the impact it has had on his life and political priorities. Roy Burnham, known to friends and family as Roy, was a former telephone engineer who worked for BT, a major telecommunications company in the UK. His wife, Eileen, was a general practitioner receptionist. Burnham has often credited his parents for shaping his values and political career. He has also spoken about the emotional challenges of watching his father’s decline, noting that when he became prime minister, Roy was initially unaware of the news. However, care home staff observed that he seemed to recognize his son on television at one point. Burnham, who became prime minister in 2024, has long been a vocal advocate for reforming the UK’s social care system. His father’s health struggles, including a later diagnosis of prostate cancer and advanced Alzheimer’s, have influenced his commitment to this cause. In an interview shortly before taking office, Burnham expressed the sadness of seeing his father unaware of his own achievements, but he also acknowledged that it was a family accomplishment. He emphasized that his father’s condition had been a driving force behind his political ambitions. In one of his first speeches as prime minister, Burnham praised the dedication of care workers, including those who looked after his father, calling them “skilled, caring, and professional.” He has vowed to “grasp the nettle” of reforming the adult social care system, which he has described as a “broken” system that is a “massive” priority for the public. Burnham’s experiences with his father have reinforced his belief that the current system is “the worst of all worlds” and that meaningful change is urgently needed.