Andy Burnham has offered to host Mark Carney at an Everton match, with the Prime Minister keen to mark a rare piece of common ground between two world leaders: their support for the Toffees.
The offer came during a call between the two leaders, according to the official Downing Street readout. “As fellow Everton fans, the Prime Minister said he hoped to be able to roll out the blue carpet and host Prime Minister Carney at an Everton game in the future,” the statement read.
The pair also discussed cost-of-living measures and wider UK-Canada relations, though it’s fair to say the football will be the detail Evertonians remember.
Burnham’s route to Downing Street has been a rapid one. He took over as Prime Minister following Keir Starmer’s resignation, having returned to Parliament after his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Everton wasted no time marking the occasion, posting on social media to welcome “A Toffee at No.10” and describing Burnham as a lifelong Evertonian, a long-time Hillsborough Law campaigner and a regular Fans Supporting Foodbanks donor.
Carney’s own Everton ties go back to his time as Governor of the Bank of England, when his allegiance to the Toffees occasionally surfaced in interviews. His rise to the Canadian premiership means two G7 leaders now share a season ticket’s worth of loyalty to the Hill Dickinson, even if neither man gets to watch as often as they’d like.
Whether the invitation turns into an actual visit remains to be seen. For now, it’s a nice line for Evertonians to enjoy — even if the club would probably rather be talking about new signings.
