The new prime minister has immediately reworked the way his office communicates with the public, favouring short, vertical video content and a pronounced social media presence over the more formal approach of his predecessor. Within days of entering Number 10, Andy Burnham’s online operation posted handheld footage, influencer collaborations and concise policy clips designed for mobile consumption.
Rapid change in tone and format
Downing Street’s social team has released a string of vertical videos and short packages that have been posted across TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. The material ranges from a mobile-camera arrival at a homelessness charity to a montage of the prime minister’s first day in office. One such montage recorded more than 820,000 views, while searches for “Andy Burnham” on TikTok rose by over 2,000% in the UK when he became prime minister.
Mixing policy with influencer outreach
The new approach incorporates celebrity and influencer posts. Burnham took part in a running session with Sir Mo Farah for a YouTube series that was subsequently shared on Instagram to Farah’s audience of 1.9 million followers. His team also posted pre-produced clips where public figures deliver or amplify policy messages.
“So far, he’s had some very simple, clear policy pledges that cut through.”
The remark, made by Andrew Chadwick, professor of political communication at Loughborough University, underlines the calculated intent: to make early commitments easily comprehensible and naturally shareable on platforms built for quick engagement.
Implications for governance and scrutiny
The format carries both opportunity and risk. Short-form video can broaden reach and humanise the office, but it may also compress complex policy into soundbites. Early content included a promise outside a homelessness centre to end rough sleeping “at the first opportunity” and an invitation to a public Q&A in Cardiff addressing homelessness, social care and hospitality.
- Visibility: Rapid spikes in searches and high view counts suggest substantial public attention.
- Accessibility: Vertical videos are optimised for mobile users and younger demographics.
- Risk: Nuance can be lost when policy is presented in short, entertainment-driven formats.
| Metric | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| TikTok search increase | +2,000% |
| Views on day-one montage | 820,000+ |
| Mo Farah Instagram audience | 1.9 million |
How this style will affect parliamentary accountability, media relations and the tone of policy debate remains to be seen. For now, No 10 has signalled a clear intent to meet audiences where they are — prioritising immediacy and shareability as core features of government communications.
