irement ▁of ▁Lawrence ▁C un l iffe , ▁Burn ham ▁applied ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁parliament ary ▁candidate ▁for ▁what ▁was ▁then ▁a ▁safe ▁Labour ▁seat ▁of ▁Le igh ▁in ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester . ▁Burn ham ▁secured ▁selection ▁to ▁contest ▁the ▁seat ▁at ▁the ▁next ▁general ▁election . ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁election ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁with ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁ 1 6 , 3 6 2 , ▁and ▁gave ▁his ▁ma iden ▁speech ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁on ▁ 4 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Following ▁his ▁election ▁to ▁Parliament , ▁Burn ham ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Health ▁Select ▁Committee ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Parliament ary ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁( P PS ) ▁to ▁Home ▁Secretary ▁David ▁Bl unk ett . ▁After ▁Bl unk ett ' s ▁first ▁res ignation ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁he ▁became ▁P PS ▁to ▁Education ▁Secretary ▁Ruth ▁Kelly . ▁ ▁Her ▁Majesty ' s ▁Government ▁( 2 0 0 5 – 2 0 1 0 ) ▁Burn ham ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁Government ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁Parliament ary ▁Under ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State , ▁with ▁responsibility ▁for ▁implementing ▁the ▁Identity ▁C ards ▁Act ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁In ▁the ▁government ▁res h uffle ▁of ▁ 5 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁moved ▁from ▁the ▁Home ▁Office ▁and ▁promoted ▁to ▁Minister ▁of