Burnham thanks well-wishers following his father’s death

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has thanked party leaders for their support following the death of his father, Roy, on Monday.

All opposition leaders sent condolences to him as he cancelled engagements earlier this week.

Burnham had previously spoken about the fact his dad did not know he had become prime minister, due to his advanced Alzheimer’s.

Posting on social media, he thanked, external “everyone who has shared a kind message about my dad, particularly the leaders of the other parties”.

Burnham added: “My family and I have been helped though this difficult time by people’s warmth and compassion. It means a great deal to us and we wanted to say thank you.”

Speaking to journalists on his first day back at work on Wednesday, Burnham thanked all those who had sent “so many lovely messages” to him and his family.

“It’s hard and it will be hard for a little while but better to get back to the job,” he said.

“I also want to thank the leaders of the other parties, all of whom sent a message, and it shows there is decency in British politics still and that’s lovely to see, so thank you from us all, the whole family.

“But my dad would want me to be back out there bringing some of the changes that he always pushed me to make.”

He has described how his father, a former telephone engineer, had raised him with “laughter, love and support” alongside his mother Eileen in Culcheth, Cheshire.

In July, Burnham spoke about his father’s condition and said it had influenced his drive to reform adult social care in England.