‘This will offend a lot of people’: New UK PM Andy Burnham's tea-making habit sparks debate

Britain’s incoming prime minister Andy Burnham has sparked a fresh debate over one of the country’s most cherished traditions after revealing that he puts milk into the cup before pouring hot water while making tea, a habit he admits is likely to divide opinion.Speaking in a quick-fire interview with PoliticsUK, Burnham was asked about his tea-making preferences and said he has always been a “milk-first” tea drinker.Explaining the reasoning behind his unusual approach, he said he believes adding milk first “softens the tea bag a bit and makes it stronger.”“I don’t know why,” Burnham said. “I just have a feeling that it softens the tea bag a bit and makes it stronger. I might be wrong, and I know that will offend a lot of people, but there will be no legislation to ban that.”Burnham is set to become the UK’s next prime minister, with more details of his government’s agenda expected next week.Beyond tea, Burnham offered his views on several everyday habits and cultural debates.He said he was “very strongly against” people playing music or voice notes aloud on public transport, describing it as antisocial behaviour. He also opposed clapping when a plane lands, using mobile phones during concerts and leaving football matches before the final whistle.On another long-running British food debate, Burnham rejected the idea of serving Yorkshire puddings with Christmas turkey. Joking about the festive tradition, he said: “If I ever get a position of power to do something, I will pass legislation to ban it.”However, he was more relaxed about the often-mocked combination of socks and sandals, admitting he has occasionally worn socks with his Birkenstocks.Burnham also said he was firmly against wearing shoes inside the house and criticised single-file queuing at bars, saying people should “stop it immediately.”The interview, intended as a light-hearted introduction to the incoming prime minister, quickly drew attention online, with his milk-first tea confession becoming one of the most talked-about moments.Social media users were split, with some defending his method while others insisted that hot water should always go into the cup before milk.Tea-making has long been a surprisingly controversial subject in Britain, where seemingly minor preferences often spark spirited public debate.