Andy Burnham's appointment as Prime Minister was met with immediate criticism from TV presenter Piers Morgan, who took to social media moments after the announcement to label the new leader an "unelected man."
Piers Morgan's Brutal Reaction
As news broke that Burnham had met King Charles at Buckingham Palace to be officially accepted as Prime Minister, Morgan shared a picture of the pair on Instagram with the caption: "BREAKING: The Coronation: Unelected man appointed British Prime Minister by unelected man." The post, which had comments disabled, garnered thousands of likes within minutes.
Earlier that morning on Good Morning Britain, Morgan had already voiced his thoughts on Burnham replacing Keir Starmer. Speaking to Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, he said: "I give every new prime minister a chance. He's been waiting up there in Manchester for many years, plotting and scheming for the moment he seizes the crown... From a political point of view, a ruthlessly, brilliantly executed coup. That's what it is - it's a coronation without election."
Call for a Plan
Morgan stressed the need for Burnham to present a clear plan, drawing a contrast with Starmer's tenure. "Keir Starmer had a thumping win in his election and turned out to have zero plan for running the country, and that was his undoing. If Burnham does not have a plan and doesn't know who the key people are, he's going to very, very quickly unravel. So it's all on him. You wanted this. You've got the crown. Now, where's the plan?"
Despite his criticism, Morgan admitted he would likely vote for Burnham in a general election, urging the new PM to call one to avoid hypocrisy. "He, along with most other senior Labour figures in the last 10 years, has been the first to demand, when this has been happening with the Tories, 'We must have an election.' If I were Burnham, I would call an election. I would actually go to the public say today... I hear you. You want me to have a proper mandate."
Burnham's Response
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Burnham announced he would soon share a ten-year plan for the country, describing it as a "circuit breaker for Britain" and adding "we need to be better."
The swift backlash from a prominent media figure underscores the political tensions surrounding Burnham's ascension, which came after internal Labour maneuvering rather than a general election.
