Big Issue at 35: How prime ministers have supported Big Issue vendors

The current prime minister Andy Burnham is the only person to sit at Number 10 and wear the red tabard in their lifetime. He’s sold the magazine on three occasions, most recently outside HOME in Manchester alongside his regular vendor Colin in 2023.

Gordon Brown invited four vendors to Downing Street to mark Big Issue’s 18th birthday in 2009. One of them, Billie Bickley, sold a magazine to the prime minister within the space of a few minutes, according to reports from the time. Since leaving office, Brown has become a vocal anti-poverty campaigner and has written for this magazine on a number of occasions.

David Cameron got his hands on the magazine as a guest editor for Big Issue’s 20th birthday in 2011. The prime minister brought in contributions from Michelle Obama and Bill Gates and used his spell in the editor’s chair to make the case for Big Society. Cameron was interviewed by Big Issue founder John Bird and wrote his own Letter to my Younger Self. 

“I want us to be a country – and a people – which has our confidence back,” wrote Cameron. “Institutions that are beyond reproach, that serve the public not the other way round. Big citizens who feel in control of their destiny. An economy which is innovative and creative, where prosperity is shared. A Britain that believes in itself.”

You can make up your own mind on how that approach has aged.

His successor Theresa May penned a piece for Big Issue’s 25th birthday, using the occasion to announce
a £40 million funding package to prevent and tackle homelessness.

“Just like the Big Issue, I also believe in the power of prevention,” said May in what has since become a familiar phrase.

“So I believe it’s time we changed our approach. We can no longer focus on tackling the symptoms and immediate consequences of homelessness. We need to put prevention at the heart of a new approach.”

Read more:

• Andy Burnham must tackle poverty as prime minister. Here’s Big Issue’s blueprint for him to follow
• Keir Starmer exclusive: ‘There’s always that challenge of getting good news out there’
• From Boris to Starmer: The man behind Jonathan Pie takes on 2023’s wildest political moments

Boris Johnson backed our Future Generations Pledge, which called on politicians to take a long-term view of the impact their decisions make. 

Big Issue was campaigning for England to introduce a Future Generations Commissioner like Wales at the time.

“I applaud the Big Issue for raising these critical issues, which are about the future of our children and grandchildren,” said Johnson, promising a route out of poverty and into education and work.

“None of these issues will be fixed if we have another hung parliament and more paralysis in Westminster over Brexit,” he added.

Of course, paralysis in Westminster soon followed with neither Liz Truss nor Rishi Sunak in office long enough to darken our door.

Keir Starmer told Big Issue he would be “as bold as Attlee” as he entered office and wrote for us about his plans for renter reforms.

We twice interviewed the prime minister during his two-year term: once on how his doomed digital ID plans might impact homelessness and the second time on renters’ rights.

Big Issue was the only media outlet invited to a Downing Street reception to mark the Renters’ Rights Act’s long-awaited arrival back in May.

“It’s a tribute to you, Big Issue, for what you’ve done to make this happen,” Starmer said.

Big Issue is now in its fourth decade of speaking truth to power, taking marginalised voices and giving them a platform to make leaders sit up and take notice. As the scourge of poverty continues to haunt the UK, we’ll keep holding them to account.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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