Andy Burnham will pledge to be 'unashamedly Labour' when he officially becomes the party’s leader on Friday, before succeeding Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister next week. In his speech, he will declare that his government will have the 'courage to fix the big things that politics has neglected' and the 'conviction to argue for our plans'.
Burnham's Path to Leadership
The former Greater Manchester mayor, who returned to Westminster last month as the MP for Makerfield, will be confirmed as Labour leader at a special conference and then enter No 10 on Monday. He was the only candidate to secure the required support after Sir Keir’s resignation, backed by 369 of the party’s 403 MPs—far surpassing the 81 needed—and supported by eight of the 11 affiliated unions.
Economic Renewal and Devolution
Mr Burnham will outline plans to focus on economic renewal, greater public control, and reindustrialisation. He is expected to argue that Britain took 'a series of wrong turns in the 1980s' when 'political power was centralised and economic power privatised.' Making the economy work for people across the UK will require 'a new path to the one we’ve been on for the last 40 years,' he will say.
He will promise that under his leadership, the party will be 'unashamedly Labour in our priorities and in the decisions we take, putting people and places at the heart of everything we do.' He will also pledge to make the party more united and pay tribute to Sir Keir for returning Labour to government, praising achievements since 2024 on workers’ rights, the NHS, and the Hillsborough Law.
Challenges and Prospects
Mr Burnham steps into the role as Labour trails Reform UK in opinion polls for nearly 18 months. Labour hopes his presence will spark a bounce and turn around its fortunes. Sir Keir has said he believes Labour can win the next election under Mr Burnham and is 'proud to hand over the party in good shape.'
Questions remain about how far Mr Burnham’s plans will differ from Sir Keir’s agenda. He has spoken about pushing powers to local leaders outside Westminster through his devolution agenda and creating a 'No 10 North' Downing Street outpost in Manchester. He has committed to Rachel Reeves’ fiscal rules and manifesto pledges not to raise income tax, VAT, or national insurance, but declined to rule out a wealth tax in a recent interview.
Cabinet and Strategy
The composition of his top Cabinet team is unconfirmed, with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper all rumoured as potential picks for chancellor. He has brought in Matthew McGregor, currently chief executive of campaign group 38 Degrees, as his No 10 director of political strategy.
