El primer ministro británico, Andy Burnham, ha agradecido públicamente a los líderes de la oposición y a la ciudadanía las muestras de apoyo recibidas tras el fallecimiento de su padre, Roy, ocurrido el lunes debido al Alzheimer. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has thanked party leaders for their support following the death of his father, Roy, on Monday. All opposition leaders sent condolences to him as he cancelled engagements earlier this week. Burnham had previously spoken about the fact his dad did not know he had become prime minister, due to his advanced Alzheimer’s.
El jefe del Gobierno británico ha retomado su agenda oficial este miércoles, tras haber cancelado sus compromisos institucionales a comienzos de semana. Speaking to journalists on his first day back at work on Wednesday, Burnham thanked all those who had sent so many lovely messages
to him and his family. It's hard and it will be hard for a little while but better to get back to the job,
he said. I also want to thank the leaders of the other parties, all of whom sent a message, and it shows there is decency in British politics still and that's lovely to see, so thank you from us all, the whole family.
But my dad would want me to be back out there bringing some of the changes that he always pushed me to make.
Posting on social media, he thanked everyone who has shared a kind message about my dad, particularly the leaders of the other parties
. Burnham added: My family and I have been helped though this difficult time by people's warmth and compassion. It means a great deal to us and we wanted to say thank you.
Burnham thanks well-wishers following his father's death
El regreso a las funciones oficiales y el mensaje de agradecimiento
Durante una visita realizada este miércoles a la planta de McLaren en Woking en el sureste de Inglaterra, el dirigente expresó su gratitud por la acogida recibida por parte de la sociedad y de sus rivales políticos. Mr Burnham returned to work today on a visit to the McLaren plant in Woking, saying his father would have wanted him to get ‘back out there’ and continuing with ‘the changes that he always pushed me to make’. Mr Burnham cleared his diary when his father died on Monday after suffering with Alzheimer’s. Shortly before becoming PM, the former Manchester Mayor voiced ‘sadness’ that Roy would not be aware his son was taking on the top job.
My family and I have been helped though this difficult time by people's warmth and compassion. It means a great deal to us and we wanted to say thank you.
— Andy Burnham
En una publicación en X esta mañana, Mr Burnham said: ‘We are grateful to everyone who has shared a kind message about my dad, particularly the leaders of the other parties. ‘My family and I have been helped through this difficult time by people’s warmth and compassion. It means a great deal to us and we wanted to say thank you.’
Andy Burnham thanks political rivals for 'warmth and compassion
La influencia personal del Alzheimer en la agenda social del gobierno
La enfermedad que padecía su padre ha marcado profundamente la trayectoria pública de Burnham. Mr Burnham has often said his father’s Alzheimer’s – the most common cause of dementia – is one of the driving factors behind his bid to reform social care. In a speech shortly after he became PM, Mr Burnham vowed to help ‘my dad and the millions like him’ faced with the unfairness of the current system.
Roy, who was in his mid-80s, was a former telephone engineer, first with the Post Office and then with BT. He and Eileen brought Mr Burnham up in Culcheth, Cheshire, alongside his two brothers. El propio jefe de gobierno ha reiterado en múltiples ocasiones que la experiencia personal con el Alzheimer constituye uno de los motores principales de su determinación para reformar el sistema de atención social en Inglaterra.
It's hard and it will be hard for a little while but better to get back to the job.
— Andy Burnham
Burnham: Continuity and international commitments
Continuidad institucional y próximos compromisos internacionales
Mientras el primer ministro guardaba luto a principios de semana, las labores de representación del Ejecutivo continuaron de forma coordinada. De facto deputy PM Louise Haigh filled in for her boss by giving a speech to the TUC conference in Brighton yesterday.
Con su vuelta a la actividad pública este miércoles, Burnham retomó una agenda cargada de compromisos diplomáticos de alto nivel. Mr Burnham is due to carry out a visit in the South East this morning, before meeting Nato secretary general Mark Rutte this afternoon and Canadian counterpart Mark Carney in the North West this evening.
El propio mandatario resumió su decisión de reintegrarse a sus funciones recordando el talante de su padre y asegurando que su progenitor habría querido que volviera a la actividad para continuar impulsando los cambios que siempre le empujó a realizar.
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