Andy Burnham showed me his true colours - this is how I think he'll do as PM

A mother has told of her emotional reaction when Andy Burnham became Prime Minister after he struck up a friendship with her autistic son. Julie Simpson says Mr Burnham 'opened doors' that allowed her to help design a sensory room at Everton's new stadium.

He personally delivered a letter from Julie to the club's CEO when he was shadow health secretary asking for greater provisions for people with Autism at the club's then-home Goodison park. And he has stayed in touch with the family ever since.

Mr Burnham was pictured with Julie's son Joe, 22, when he watched his first ever match from the state-of-the-art space at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last August.

Julie, 57, said: "I was made up when he came Prime Minister because we've met him, I felt a bit emotional. I was dead proud and I felt hopeful. I know he wont' be able to fix everything for everyone, I think he'll genuinely try.

"I actually felt nervous for him because I didn't want people to be trolling him online and saying nasty things. I know he's nice. I texted him to ask how he was finding it and he said 'I'm really loving it'."

After Mr Burnham put Julie in touch with Toffees CEO Denise Barret-Baxendale, she and husband Stephen, 61, was invited to have input into plans that ultimately led to a sensory room and box being part of the Hill Dickinson Stadium blueprint.

When the club held its first full capacity game a pre-season friendly against Roma last year Joe was able to go to the game for the first time ever with dad Stephen, who is a lifelong blue.

Julie added: "Joe had an Everton kit before he was even born. When you have kids, you have hopes that one day they might be able to play for the club you love. But you never think they'll never be able to go the match.

"The day of the Roma game, we were caught up in the crowds and Andy waited for over an hour to see us. I think he was quite taken aback when he saw Joe. He hadn't seen Joe for a while and now he was 22.

"He'd never been to the match with his dad and I think Andy was really touched by that because his son is a similar age and goes the matches with him.

"Stephen has been going to the games all his life and he used to drop me and Joe off at his mum's near Goodison and go the game. He never said anything but I could see it was killing him not to be able to take Joe with him.

"To see him at the game was amazing. It was everything they said he'd never be. And for Andy to be there, it was brilliant. It was a big deal for him."

Julie, from Liverpool, first contacted Mr Burnham was Joe was diagnosed with Autism and he invited the family to his constituency office in Leigh and helped to put her in touch with members of her local council to raise her concerns about a lack of help for families.

She later set up Autism Adventures, a community interest company, which Mr Burnham is a patron of. He once invited youngsters to his office to interview him when he was Mayor of Greater Manchester and has been a big supporter, Julie said.

Even during the chaotic days of the Covid pandemic, Mr Burnham continued to check in on the family and once had a zoom call to make sure they were ok before he was due to meet with Health Secretary Matt Hancock to discuss the tier system in place.

Julie added: "He was still busy when he was the Mayor and he must be the patron of lots of organisations. He's very generous with his time. He genuinely cares about people."

Mr Burnham officially became Prime Minister last Monday. The lifelong Evertonian has told the club he wants to keep his seat in the South Stand.

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