If Andy Burnham succeeds in his ambition to become Prime Minister, one of his first challenges will be assembling a top team that can convince voters the nation is moving in the right direction. Here are seven figures who could play leading roles in a Burnham premiership.
1. Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting has been marked as a rising star since entering Parliament in 2015. The recently resigned Health Secretary is unlikely to abandon his own ambitions to become PM, but Burnham may want to harness his talents. Appointing the highest-profile figure on the Right of the party as Chancellor would reassure markets that the government is not controlled by socialist radicals.
2. Ed Miliband
The Energy Secretary has every reason to expect a major job. The former party leader is considered a champion of Burnham within the cabinet and wants Labour to deliver era-defining change. Many see him as a top choice for Chancellor, but his opposition to new North Sea oil and gas licences is widely blamed for Labour's poor result in the Aberdeen South by-election.
3. Shabana Mahmood
Despite reports that Burnham considered appointing her Chancellor, he is now tipped to keep her at the Home Office. Her tough stance on restoring order to Britain's immigration system has won her enemies on the Left, but Burnham knows he cannot afford to look weak on border security when he needs to defeat Reform UK at the next election.
4. Louise Haigh
Though she quit as Transport Secretary in November 2024 after revealing a decade-old fraud conviction, this Soft Left stalwart has been central to Burnham's Westminster comeback campaign. As the New Statesman reported, Labour MPs joke that "Andy doesn't even go to the bathroom without Lou waiting outside."
5. Lisa Nandy
The Culture Secretary's Wigan constituency neighbours Makerfield, and she has enthusiastically backed Burnham's return. An effective television performer, she is thought to aspire to be Foreign Secretary, though those close to incumbent Yvette Cooper stress the need for continuity amid international risks.
6. John Healey
Labour cannot win the next election if it looks weak on defence. A major challenge for Burnham will be finding cash to upgrade the military to deter Russia. It would be a major vote of confidence if Healey agreed to return to the post he resigned from in protest at underfunding.
7. Rachel Reeves
Though deeply unpopular as Chancellor, she was a key ally of Burnham in his 2015 leadership run. He will want to avoid banishing her to the backbenches. In the past, such figures could become European Commissioners, but Burnham will need to find a new role that uses her knowledge and close ties to finance.
