Piers Morgan made a bombshell return to Good Morning Britain on Monday, July 20, 2026, just hours before Andy Burnham officially assumed the Labour leadership and became Prime Minister. The outspoken broadcaster did not hold back, delivering a scathing assessment of Burnham's rise to power and challenging him with a pointed four-word question: 'Now, where's the plan?'
Morgan's Verdict on Burnham's Coup
Morgan, who left GMB as a presenter in March 2021, appeared as a guest alongside hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls. He acknowledged that he was prepared to give Burnham a chance as Prime Minister, even admitting he would vote for him in a general election. However, he was critical of the manner in which Burnham secured the leadership, describing it as a 'coronation without election'.
'I give every new prime minister a chance,' Morgan said. 'He's been waiting up there in Manchester for many years, plotting and scheming for the moment he seizes the crown… I have to say, from a political point of view, a ruthlessly, brilliantly executed coup. That's what it is - it's a coronation without election, and that's fine if he, in his speech today, lays out a genuine, well-thought-through plan that he's going to execute, which will actually improve the lives of people in this country.'
Comparing Burnham to Starmer
Morgan drew a comparison between Burnham and his predecessor, Keir Starmer, who won a thumping general election victory but ultimately failed to deliver a clear plan for governing. 'But 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,' Morgan said. 'If Burnham does not have a plan and doesn't know who the key people are, he's going to have to execute it; he's going to very, very quickly unravel. So it's all on him. You wanted this. You've got the crown.'
Call for a General Election
Despite his criticism, Morgan conceded that he would probably vote for Burnham, but only if he called a general election to secure a legitimate mandate. '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. I believe in my plan. I'm going to transform this country.'
Morgan expressed no faith in the opposing parties, adding that Burnham would never have a better moment politically. 'I would go right now, and I'd call the bluff of everyone who doesn't think I've got the b***s to do it, and who thinks I want to be an unelected king, and say, 'I hear you, I believe in democracy, I want you to vote for me'.'
The Challenge of Time
Morgan highlighted the urgency of Burnham's situation, noting that he only has a two-year window before the next election. 'He could win, and if he won, then he would win a five-year mandate. The problem he's got now, he's got two years… It's like turning around an oil tanker. This country is in the doldrums, and he's crying out for someone to show proper leadership. I don't think he has time to turn it around…'
Morgan concluded by saying that if Burnham demonstrated personal courage by risking his newfound power for a legitimate mandate, he would be more inclined to vote for him. 'If he did come out and do that, I would be more inclined to vote for him because I say this guy's got personal courage. He's prepared to, having got the crown he wanted, he's prepared to risk it all in a few weeks' time to get a legitimate mandate.'
