Burnham cancels engagements after death of father

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has cancelled official engagements on Monday and Tuesday following the death of his father Roy, who had Alzheimer's.

He had been due to host a meeting of business leaders in Downing Street on Monday, and was expected to speak at the annual trade union TUC Congress in Brighton on Tuesday.

In July, Burnham spoke about his father's condition and said it had influenced his drive to reform adult social care in England .

He had also said his father's illness was so advanced that he did not know his son had become prime minister.

Speaking to the Times newspaper , external shortly before formally taking over as prime minister, Burnham said it was "a sadness, because he would be [proud]".

He continued: "The way I look at it, it's his achievement as well. A whole family achievement, although he doesn't know it."

The prime minister later said care home staff had shown his father footage of him entering Downing Street, calling it a "wonderful" thing.

Burnham said he wanted to help "my dad and the millions like him" when setting out plans to reform adult social care.