Andy Burnham's proficiency in social media performance, particularly on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, signals a shift in UK politics. Unlike his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, Burnham's engaging content, such as sharing crisps with the chancellor, garners attention at Westminster and among a wider audience.

This approach leverages social media's direct marketing capabilities, allowing politicians to bypass traditional media scrutiny and cherry-pick their interviewers. This marks a departure from the historical UK model where political advertising was restricted. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube now function as unregulated broadcasting channels where politicians can legally advertise their messages.

Figures like Burnham, Nigel Farage, and Rupert Lowe benefit from this direct marketing, avoiding difficult questions about funding or policy trade-offs. While this offers politicians a shield, it also hinders their ability to scrutinize opponents and offers no guarantee of equal time for rebuttals, mirroring the US television model of political advertising.