Learn Andy Burnham’s Public Speaking Skills

If you want to learn Andy Burnham’s Public Speaking skills, listen and watch Andy Burnham’s speeches and especially, Andy Burnham’s speech on Social Care delivered this morning – Wednesday 29th July 2026.

Authentic, impassioned, erudite, from the heart and so genuine that the slings and arrows of the press questions, fell quietly at his feet like obedient spaniels.

The embittered, cynical hard headed hacks, the press journalists, knowing they were in the presence of a great public speaker full of honest sentiments, hard truths, common sense, who had just voiced everything we have all seen with our own eyes, displayed an unheard of, mild reverence.

His speech wasn’t a declaration, it was an open conversation, begging those listeners to engage as he spoke pragmatically, his words describing real life experiences, personal experience and heart felt sentiments, from a genuine place of concern and (to use the most apposite word here)  care.

Remember ‘that’:

Public Speaking Is Not A Declaration, It Is A ‘Public Conversation’

Just because the audience didn’t speak back, heckle and or interrupt, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t or isn’t, a conversation – it is – and you would do well to remember that …

And, it is customary and polite, in British society, to look at the person or people we are speaking to – monitor their absorption and or reactions.

Be Genuine – Don’t Act Genuine: We Know The Difference.

Because his voice and delivery are congruent with his beliefs and emotions, he is utterly compelling and inspires respect.

The honesty, guts and willingness to hold and mold the hot potato, of Social Care, whilst asking others to contribute their feelings and thoughts, graced him with a natural sense of authority because he isn’t afraid of speaking out, whatever the consequences.

And there will be consequences: media opportunistic twisting the facts of what he actually said, in reported analysis, no doubt.

Learn From Andy Burnham’s Public Speaking – ie the Source.

Since Andy Burnham rose to prominence, nationally, I have been listening to his speeches and been fascinated and aghast, how his words are then misrepresented in the media.

What a lesson this has been regarding reported speech. I am saying this because, comment or interpretation waters down the essence or accuracy of so many things.

The parallel I’m drawing is: learn from Andy Burnham’s public speaking skills, watch him, intently, make notes and see excellence in action.

So many people tell me they have learned public speaking from this YouTube teacher, or this TikTok  person – but who are they?

Don’t do this! Learn from the best people who are actually doing it!

Always Go To The Source

I remember the first time I read Shakespeare’s Hamlet and realised there was absolutely nothing in the text saying Ophelia was pregnant or that she even committed suicide.

Yet the latter is often accepted as fact, just because arrogant writers who needed to express an opinion, said it was so.

Don’t Be Taught By Mediocrity,

… or mediocre opinionisters (new word made up by me) – always go to the source.

Learn from the best, watch, analyse and if this sounds too hard, start with jotting down what you like about what you have just seen.

YOU Don’t Need to be Without a Script to Learn From Andy Burnham’s Public Speaking Skills

Yes Andy does this, but he’s a been a practiced politician for thirty years, even Barack Obama would take a thin bound leather speech folder with him to deliver important speeches.

You don’t have to look at your print out, though I do suggest you keep the appropriate pages turned, but having it there will give you a feeling of security which of course, will give you confidence

The All Important Eye Contact

However, do what Andy Burnham does, which is consistent and constant, eye contact.

Eye contact, eye contact, eye contact.

Do not expect people to be moved by your eyelids.

ie when you’re looking down reading

They won’t.

 

If You Care They Will Care

What I mean by this technically is – always focus on is the most important information you want to impart. This could be what you find most interesting, or what is the most important piece of of information that must be shared with the others.

This will ensure you sound and ‘feel’ engaged with your content – because you are – and this will engender your audiences’ engagement.

Always Learn From The Best

People like me can guide you and take you to a very good level, but there is nothing like studying the best.

And whatever your politics – I have never voted Labour in my life, yet…  – Andy Burnham shows the sort of ability at Public Speaking and  leadership, that we have not seen for decades.

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Learn Andy Burnham’s Public Speaking Skills and you will fly!