PM Burnham changes Everton seat for security reasons

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham attended his first Everton match since taking office on August 22, 2026, watching from the directors box at Hill Dickinson Stadium as his team defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 in their Premier League opener. His decision to forgo his usual season ticket seat in the South Stand marks a change from a promise he made last month, a shift attributed to necessary security protocols.

Burnham, a lifelong supporter of the club, had previously expressed a desire to continue sitting in his regular spot to stay connected with ordinary fans. However, officials indicated that occupying his personal seat would have required displacing other supporters to accommodate his close protection officers, a prospect the Prime Minister found unreasonable. Instead, he accepted the club's offer of seats in the directors box near the halfway line for the match. The value of the ticket will need to be declared on the Parliamentary register of members' interests.

The Prime Minister was accompanied at the game by his wife, Marie-France van Heel, and his daughter, Rosie. Also in the directors box was former Everton midfielder Peter Reid, a club legend who had campaigned for Burnham...