Andy Burnham has officially entered Number 10 as Prime Minister, delivering his first speech outside Downing Street on July 20, 2026. The Makerfield MP, who previously served as Mayor of Greater Manchester, is the sixth person in ten years to walk up the street and the seventh PM since 2016.
Burnham's Vision for Change
In his address, Burnham acknowledged the public's frustration with politics, stating: 'We have not been good enough and we need to be better. We will be. We will make this moment a circuit breaker for Britain.' He promised the biggest changes in 40 years, including a new political model and a new economic model.
Burnham criticised the centralisation of political power and privatisation of economic power in the 1980s, which he said led to deindustrialisation in large parts of the country. 'Many feel as though they are still in decline and they don't have the ability to turn things around,' he added.
Key Promises: Devolution and Reindustrialisation
The new Prime Minister pledged to devolve power from Westminster to every postcode in the land, enabling communities to do more. He also committed to building a new economy where life's essentials are under stronger public control to make them affordable again. 'Reindustrialising Britain, using public procurement to back British industry,' Burnham said.
Later this year, he will bring forward a ten-year plan for Britain, laying out a path from the current state to where the country should be. Immediate measures to help with the cost of living will be announced starting tomorrow, including how they will be paid for.
Immediate Actions: Housing, Education, and Ending Rough Sleeping
Burnham outlined plans to help more young people into work by changing the education system and providing more mental health support. He also promised to build more council homes, describing this as 'the fair and sustainable way to bring the welfare bill down.'
His first instruction as Prime Minister will be to end rough sleeping in the country. 'It is about putting the right values and the right standards at the heart of government,' he said. Burnham concluded by calling for a new national sense of unity, common purpose, and positivity, urging the country to 'start believing again' and 'bring back hope.'
