Labor leader Andy Burnham
New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has sparked fresh controversy over one of the country’s most cherished traditions after revealing that he puts milk in a cup before pouring hot water while making tea, a habit he acknowledges is likely to divide public opinion.Speaking in a quick interview with PoliticsUK, Burnham was asked about his tea-making preferences, and said he always drank tea “milk first”.Explaining the reason behind his unusual approach, he said he believed adding the milk first “dilutes the tea bag a little and makes it stronger.”“I don’t know why,” Burnham said. “I have a feeling it softens the tea bag a little and makes it stronger. I could be wrong, and I know this will offend a lot of people, but there will be no legislation prohibiting it.”
Burnham is set to become the next UK Prime Minister, and more details on his government’s agenda are expected next week.Aside from tea, Burnham offered his views on many daily customs and cultural debates.He said he was “strongly opposed” to playing music or voice notes loudly on public transport, describing it as anti-social behaviour. He also opposed clapping when a plane lands, using cell phones during concerts, and leaving football matches before the final whistle.
In another long-running British debate about food, Burnham rejected the idea of serving Yorkshire pudding with turkey at Christmas. “If I got into a position of authority to do something, I would pass legislation to ban it,” he joked about the festive tradition.However, he was more relaxed about the often-mocked socks and sandals combo, admitting that he sometimes wore socks with his Birkenstocks.Burnham also said he strongly opposed wearing shoes indoors and criticized people queuing at bars, saying people should “stop it immediately.”The interview, which was intended as a light-hearted introduction to the next prime minister, quickly caught attention online, with his admission of drinking tea first becoming one of his most talked-about moments.Social media users were divided, 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 controversial topic in Britain, where simple preferences often spark passionate public debate.