A majority of voters believe Andy Burnham should call an election to win his own mandate to govern, according to a new poll by Public First. The survey found that 51% of respondents think the incoming Labour MP and likely prime minister “should call and try to win an election to give his government legitimacy.”
Legitimacy Concerns Highlighted
Only one-third of those polled said Burnham would lead a legitimate administration without a new general election. The results underscore the debate over the transition of power, as Burnham is set to replace Sir Keir Starmer in No10 later this month. He would follow recent prime ministers Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, who both took office without a direct electoral mandate.
Seb Wride of Public First noted that the public “would rather not see someone become the prime minister” without going through an election. “As with the Conservatives before them, the public responds badly to the idea that leaders of the country are decided in rooms they are not in,” he said.
Risk of Untested Leadership
Wride added: “For Burnham, there is a risk that even before it exists his leadership is being challenged on its legitimacy. The public has largely already assumed he will be Prime Minister. They do not see this as a contest, and it is likely the accusations that Burnham’s ideas are ‘untested’ will therefore land more heavily.”
The poll also found that 57% of respondents think a general election should be held to choose the next government, while 32% said the current Labour government should “see out their term.” Among those opposing an election, 37% cited disruption or cost, and 12% said they were “bored of voting in elections.”
Allies Dismiss Election Calls
Despite public sentiment, Burnham’s allies have dismissed calls for an early election. Wride cautioned: “Calling an election is undeniably a risk. Election polls remain fractured, and the result is far from predictable.”
