All articles tagged with #burnham
UK Labour figure Andy Burnham apologised for Labour’s initial Gaza response, saying it was wrong, and urged a stronger UK stance with sanctions and a ban on goods from illegal settlements, while pushing for a renewed ceasefire and condemning Hamas in line with international law.
Conservative Kemi Badenoch accuses Labour leader Keir Starmer of leaving a £5bn shortfall in his defence investment plan for Burnham to fix, as the plan promises £15bn in defence spending by 2030 but is funded by £10.3bn in savings with a £4.7bn gap to be resolved in the autumn Budget; Starmer defends the plan, Burnham is widely expected to become chancellor, and Downing Street indicates further cuts to other departments and transport projects may be used to cover the gap.
Andy Burnham, the likely Labour leader and former Manchester mayor, pledges a 'circuit-breaker' to devolve powers to local leaders, create a No. 10 North office in Manchester to oversee regional development, and enact a 10-year plan called 'Manchesterism' that combines public and private investment in transport, housing and utilities to spur growth countrywide, aiming to rebalance power away from London.
Burnham outlines a sweeping devolution plan, proposing a Manchester-based No 10 North to oversee a major council housing program and granting new powers to regional leaders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, signaling the biggest shift of political power away from Westminster in decades.
Burnham uses a Manchester speech to push a 10-year regional devolution agenda, giving mayors more control over housing, welfare and budgets to raise living standards and spur growth across the UK; the plan draws private-sector attention for specifics on taxation and energy, while Tory rivals push for concrete Westminster scrutiny and there is no chancellor named yet.
Andy Burnham’s rise could keep Starmer’s multilateral defense posture but push for higher spending, a 10-year procurement horizon, and a defense-led industrial strategy funded partly by growth. He may borrow beyond strict fiscal rules, delay the Defence Investment Plan to autumn, and seek stronger European ties—including the prospect of rejoining the EU if political space allows—while maintaining support for Ukraine and a long-term, growth-based path to funding defense.
UK voters want change after Keir Starmer’s resignation but prefer a full Labour leadership contest over an immediate Burnham coronation; Burnham leads in head-to-head PM matchups, yet 54% want a leadership contest and a 2029 general election would likely be required, with forecasts suggesting Labour would still fall short of a majority, implying a potential coalition.
Keir Starmer’s resignation leaves the UK with its seventh prime minister in a decade, intensifying questions about whether Britain has become ungovernable. The analysis argues that while voter anger exists, the instability mostly reflects party leadership churn and long-standing policy failures, from Brexit fallout to energy and welfare choices. If Andy Burnham succeeds Starmer, he’ll still confront hard reform, fiscal constraints, and market expectations amid a fragile political and economic landscape.
Sir Keir Starmer met Andy Burnham to discuss an orderly transition after announcing his resignation as prime minister. Access talks with civil servants will be opened to Labour leadership hopefuls to prepare for government, with Burnham the only declared contender and potentially able to take office as early as 17 July if unchallenged. The discussions will cover forming a government, policy priorities, and security briefings, while Starmer suspends major policy decisions until a new PM is in place. Burnham has pledged to follow Labour’s fiscal rules and not raise core tax rates; other potential candidates are being considered by some MPs.
Keir Starmer resigns as Labour leader and prime minister; Andy Burnham is sworn in as MP for Makerfield and quickly becomes the frontrunner to replace him, with Wes Streeting backing him; Labour's leadership timetable will decide if there is a contest or a coronation, possibly seeing Burnham in No.10 within weeks if unopposed, while other MPs weigh leadership bids and policy questions amid a government in a holding pattern.
Andy Burnham is on track to become Britain’s next prime minister within weeks after Keir Starmer’s resignation and Wes Streeting’s endorsement, with Burnham’s Makerfield by-election victory giving him momentum and Labour signaling a rapid handover—potentially installing Burnham by mid-July if there is no full leadership contest.
The prospect of Keir Starmer fighting on as Labour leader is fading as Andy Burnham’s appeal and leadership potential rise; insiders warn a leadership contest may be likely after the Makerfield by-election, ministers warn of possible party splits, and some see Starmer’s grip weakening despite past electoral gains.
After Andy Burnham’s decisive Makerfield by-election win, he is expected to seek Labour leadership, with a list of MPs and advisers named as likely senior figures in a future Burnham government. Among them are Louise Haigh, Anneliese Midgley, Miatta Fahnbulleh, Josh Simons, Kate Green, Kevin Lee, Lucy Powell, Ed Miliband, Heidi Alexander, Neal Lawson, and economic advisers Lord O’Neill and Richard Hughes, with roles ranging from cabinet posts and a Downing Street operation to policy and economic guidance. The piece notes uncertainties over who lines up most strongly and how these figures would fit into a Burnham administration.
Andy Burnham's Makerfield by-election win is seen as a potential stepping stone to challenging Labour leader Keir Starmer, highlighting Labour's leadership tensions amid Reform's rise and a five-party political landscape where voters express a desire for change and stronger northern influence.
About 50 Labour MPs signed a letter to Keir Starmer objecting to the NEC's ruling blocking Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, saying the move could hand Reform UK a boost and that Burnham might be Labour's best chance to win the seat; Starmer defended focusing resources on other elections, while Burnham would need to return to Parliament to mount a leadership challenge; the NEC decision comes after Labour won the seat in 2024 by around 13,000 votes, with Reform UK and Greens expected to challenge.