You know you've arrived as the prime minister-in-waiting when even Donald Trump has heard of you — even if he remembers you as 'the mayor of a town'. Andy Burnham, the newly elected MP for Makerfield, is on course to become Britain's next prime minister after Sir Keir Starmer's resignation. The former Greater Manchester mayor, described by Trump as 'extremely liberal', has so far focused his career on domestic issues, but now faces the challenge of navigating global diplomacy, including hosting Trump at the G20 summit next year.
Andy Burnham is the Labour MP for Makerfield and the only declared candidate in the race to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister. He was previously the mayor of Greater Manchester for eight years, a role that made him a prominent figure in regional politics. Burnham has a long history in Labour, serving as a minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and as shadow minister. He has been critical of Donald Trump in the past, calling for Theresa May to withdraw a state visit invitation in 2017 and describing Trump's sharing of 'hateful extremist material'. However, some Labour figures, like Foreign Secretary David Lammy, have built relationships with Trump's administration.
“A guide to Andy Burnham's expected rise to UK prime minister, his background, and challenges ahead.”
Burnham's path to the top job has been unusual: he was not an MP until June 2026, when he won the Makerfield by-election. The lack of a contested leadership election has drawn criticism, with former Prime Minister Sir John Major warning that Burnham's ideas will not be properly tested before he takes office. Major also cautioned that Burnham's experience running buses in Manchester is no preparation for dealing with world leaders like Xi, Putin, Trump, Macron, and Merz. Supporters, however, point to Burnham's success as mayor and his plan to appoint longtime friend James Purnell as his chief of staff — a move that could help him navigate Whitehall.
For UK readers, Burnham's premiership will have immediate practical impacts. He is expected to take office on July 17, 2026, pending the Labour leadership election. His domestic agenda may include raising taxes to meet defence spending needs, as Major suggested, and tackling the welfare bill. On the international stage, Burnham's relationship with Trump will be tested, especially as the UK hosts the G20 summit next year and the G7 in 2028. A YouGov poll found that 43% of British adults think Burnham would make a better prime minister than Nigel Farage, and he also beats Tory leader Kemi Badenoch (32% to 28%). But his 'extremely liberal' tag and past criticism of Trump could complicate diplomacy.
Q: Who is Andy Burnham and why is he likely to be the next UK prime minister? Andy Burnham is the Labour MP for Makerfield and former mayor of Greater Manchester. He is the only candidate to replace Sir Keir Starmer as party leader after Starmer resigned, meaning he will almost certainly become prime minister on July 17, 2026.
Q: What did Donald Trump say about Andy Burnham? Trump called Burnham 'extremely liberal' and 'the mayor of a town', and said he 'probably won't open up' the North Sea for oil and gas drilling. Trump also reiterated criticisms of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, calling him 'grossly incompetent'.
Q: How is Andy Burnham viewed by the British public compared to other leaders? A YouGov poll found that 43% of British adults think Burnham would make a better prime minister than Nigel Farage (23%), and he beats Tory leader Kemi Badenoch (32% vs 28%) and Green leader Zack Polanski (38% vs 11%).
What happens next: Burnham is expected to become prime minister on July 17, 2026, after the Labour leadership election concludes. He plans to appoint James Purnell as his chief of staff. The UK will host the G20 summit in 2027 and the G7 in 2028, both of which Trump would attend. Burnham's past criticisms of Trump will be tested as he navigates the 'special relationship'.