0 1 7 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Culture , ▁Media ▁and ▁Sport ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Health ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁Burn ham ▁served ▁as ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁( MP ) ▁for ▁Le igh ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁the ▁Old ▁Ro an ▁area ▁of ▁A int ree , ▁Liverpool , ▁Burn ham ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁compreh ensive ▁schools ▁and ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁English ▁from ▁Fitz will iam ▁College ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cambridge . ▁He ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁research er ▁for ▁T essa ▁J ow ell ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁then ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁N HS ▁Confeder ation ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁as ▁an ▁administrator ▁for ▁the ▁Football ▁Task ▁Force ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁special ▁advis er ▁to ▁Culture ▁Secretary ▁Chris ▁Smith , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁Lawrence ▁C un l iffe , ▁the ▁Labour ▁MP ▁for ▁Le igh , ▁Burn ham ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁succeed ▁him ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Health ▁Select ▁Committee ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁then ▁serving