Andy Burnham’s father dies after suffering with Alzheimer’s

Prime minister Andy Burnham has cancelled all of his engagements on Monday and Tuesday following the death of his father, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s, The Independent understands.

Mr Burnham had been due to host business leaders in No 10 on Monday afternoon.

The prime minister has previously spoken about how his father, Roy Burnham, who was living in a care home, was unaware he was about to become prime minister as a result of his Alzheimer’s.

“That’s a sadness because he would be [proud],” Mr Burnham told The Times over the summer. “The way I look at it, it’s his achievement as well. A whole family achievement although he doesn’t know it.”

Mr Burnham has also vowed to “grasp the nettle” of reforming the adult social care system, drawing on his father’s experience in care.

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