In an interview with Labour Uncut, Andy Burnham admitted a dark secret: that throughout the 90s he lived in fear that his early-career journalism gigs — from his time working for B2B magazines — would wind their way onto Have I Got News for You. He recently repeated his reason for not going on the programme in an interview with GQ:
‘Have I Got News for You bid for me almost ten times a year and the reason they do it, I am certain, is they have some of my old articles – so I refuse it every time.’
While Mr S can’t vouch for the Beeb, Steerpike has at least managed to track down a copy of one of Burnham’s early journalism efforts; Passenger Rail Management: Vol. 1, Issue 1, from May/June 1993. Although there are no bylines, Andy Burnham is the only staff writer listed in the enthralling magazine.
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