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.
It offers insight into everything from the Channel Tunnel rail link getting the go-ahead to British industry chiefs uniting behind CrossRail.
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