Andy Burnham will become the UK’s seventh prime minister in a decade on Monday, after an uncontested Labour leadership race that saw him crowned without a single ballot cast. The former Greater Manchester mayor, who returned to Parliament only last month via a by-election, took the stage at Congress House in London on Friday to declare his appointment “the most significant change moment in our politics for 40 years”.
Burnham’s ascent marks the end of Sir Keir Starmer’s tenure, which began with a landslide general election victory in 2024 but unravelled within weeks as a series of policy mis-steps and U-turns eroded public support. The final blow came in May when Reform UK swept the local elections, leaving many Labour MPs fearing Nigel Farage could win the next general election. Senior figures including former health secretary Wes Streeting abandoned their own ambitions to back Burnham, who had long coveted the leadership but needed to be a sitting MP to challenge.
“Andy Burnham will become prime minister on Monday after winning Labour’s leadership uncontested.”
Now, as he prepares to enter Downing Street, Burnham is promising a radical overhaul of the British state. He vows to “rewire” Whitehall by handing power to councils and regions, creating a second No 10 team based in Manchester, and ending “trickle-down economics” through a project he calls “Manchesterism”. He has said he will broadly stick to the 2024 Labour manifesto, not raising the main rates of income tax, VAT or National Insurance, but allies hint at a “dynamic” start: the Evening Standard reports he is tipped to announce new North Sea oil drilling plans on his first day.
Yet the new leader faces scepticism from across the political spectrum. Green Party leader Zack Polanski warned that Burnham’s “vibes-based” hope is “a distraction from actually doing the policies”. Polanski, whose party snatched a Commons seat from Labour earlier this year, said that by promising not to “out-Green the Greens”, Burnham risks “continuing to sit on the fence” – just like Starmer. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” Polanski told POLITICO, “but I need to see that he is not completely like Keir Starmer.”
On the streets of London, voters are less sure. Ellie Rich told The Independent: “I know nothing about Andy Burnham… I don’t think many people know what he stands for.” Alistair Milne, an Australian expat, said he was “hopeful” but added: “It’s a bit sad in a way that he resigned. Keir was actually doing quite a good job.” Burnham, for his part, has said he will “give hope back” – a phrase Polanski has used in his own broadcasts.
The transition begins on Monday morning when Starmer will meet King Charles at Buckingham Palace to resign. The King will then ask Burnham to form a government. Once accepted, Burnham will head to Downing Street for a speech outside No 10. Labour MPs, meanwhile, are waiting nervously for the weekend to end: the new Cabinet will be unveiled on Monday, and some may find their jobs gone.