▁he ▁critic ised ▁the ▁" West min ster ▁B ubble ", ▁the ▁London - cent ric ▁focus ▁in ▁British ▁politics ▁and ▁perce ived ▁det achment ▁from ▁life ▁outside ▁of ▁West min ster . ▁However , ▁some ▁oppon ents ▁and ▁political ▁comment ators ▁accused ▁him ▁of ▁being ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁b ubble ▁that ▁he ▁critic ises . ▁He ▁views ▁de volution ▁of ▁powers ▁to ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester ▁( including ▁an ▁elected ▁mayor ) ▁as ▁an ▁opportunity ▁for ▁urban ▁reg ener ation . ▁He ▁also ▁called ▁for ▁a ▁focus ▁on ▁Northern ▁identity . ▁After ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester , ▁he ▁described ▁the ▁new ▁powers ▁for ▁northern ▁cities ▁as ▁" the ▁dawn ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁era ". ▁Burn ham ▁feels ▁the ▁government ▁does ▁not ▁invest ▁enough ▁money ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁of ▁England , ▁saying : ▁" Al most ▁five ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁government ▁promised ▁us ▁a ▁northern ▁power house , ▁we ▁learn ▁that ▁public ▁sp ending ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁has ▁fallen ▁while ▁rising ▁in ▁the ▁south . ▁This ▁has ▁got ▁to ▁stop ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁time ▁that ▁the ▁north ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁queue ▁for ▁public ▁invest ment ". ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Burn ham ▁has ▁a ▁brother , ▁Nick , ▁who ▁is ▁the ▁principal ▁of ▁Card inal ▁New man ▁College , ▁Pr eston . ▁Burn ham ▁married ▁Marie - France ▁van ▁He el , ▁who ▁is ▁Dutch , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁having ▁been ▁in ▁a ▁relationship ▁since ▁university . ▁The ▁couple ▁have ▁a