Andy Burnham should make Blackpool his 'Mar-a-Lago' as Prime Minister, forget Chequers
“Forget Manchester. Blackpool should be Burnham’s new Chequers...”
Andy Burnham should make Blackpool his 'Mar-a-Lago' by moving the PM's official holiday residence from Chequers in Buckinghamshire to the Lancashire seaside resort.
So say pundits who urged the future Prime Minister to ditch the 16th-century Tudor manor house in the Chiltern Hills - used as a weekend retreat for the PM to relax and host world leaders - for the fun, sun, sea and sand of Blackpool, akin to President Trump’s Palm Beach resort in Florida.
The bold idea was raised on a Times Radio podcast by political commentator, Polly Mackenzie.
“Hear me out,” she said. “Blackpool needs turning around. And if you think of what Trump has with Mar-a-Lago...
“If you want to symbolise a new hope for Britain, well, Manchester’s amazing and has been amazing for a really long time.
“But actually, if he wants to tell a story about a turn around and hope for forgotten places, just being in Manchester is kind of annoying.
“So if he is thinking of creating a destination, actually what he should get rid of is Chequers...and go for Blackpool.”
Other pundits, however, weren’t convinced, with one quipping: “We could also move the House of Lords to Stonehenge, and get them to dress up as druids.”
What did listeners think?
“I honestly think she has a really good point, Blackpool is currently so unloved,” said one listener. “We have an airport. It would be amazing if Burnham was able to help turn this town around.”
Another said: “Why not? Blackpool is under regeneration. The majority of the nation’s DWP is in Blackpool. It’s super easy to get to via train or car. And we have an airport that takes private flights. Let’s do this.”