Andy Burnham will become Prime Minister on Monday, facing a series of major decisions immediately. The Labour leader has vowed to "build a new politics" and unite the party, while keeping MPs satisfied on a range of issues.
Once Keir Starmer formally resigns as Prime Minister on Monday, Mr Burnham will be sworn in, deliver a speech outside Downing Street, and begin appointing his Cabinet. In his address, he will set out his values, indicating the sort of PM he hopes to be and the priorities for his administration.
Key Policies and Devolution Plans
He is expected to use Monday's speech to outline plans to give people "breathing space" on the cost of living and highlight his core theme of devolving power from Whitehall to regions across the UK. This devolution process will be driven from Mr Burnham’s new "No 10 North" in Manchester, which he is expected to visit during his first week in power.
Allies said Mr Burnham will set out policies aimed at making people’s lives easier, with a promise of delivering change that people can feel as soon as possible. He has already begun receiving national security briefings ahead of his formal appointment and has discussed his priorities in office and the first events he will attend as PM with officials.
Addressing Forgotten Places
In a speech on Friday, the former Greater Manchester Mayor claimed "forgotten places everywhere up and down this country" were calling "for a return of the Labour they once knew". Mr Burnham vowed to serve "people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again", adding: "We’re going to give them hope back."
The new Labour leader also acknowledged that his generation of politicians had failed to challenge a political culture and economic model that did not work well enough for ordinary people. He aims to change this through his administration's priorities.
Poll: What Should Burnham's First Priorities Be?
Readers are invited to take a poll and have their say on what Andy Burnham's first priorities as Prime Minister should be. The poll covers key issues such as the cost of living, devolution, and uniting the party.
