Andy Burnham has explicitly ruled out an early general election, telling the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “I’m going to rule it out… I don’t think people want it.” The new prime minister, speaking from the brand new No 10 North in Manchester, insisted he would “honour that manifesto” voters backed at the last election. “What I most need to do is get Britain focused on getting the country back where it should be, getting it working,” he said.
Burnham’s vow ends speculation that he might call a snap poll after entering No 10, a move that would have echoed Theresa May’s U‑turn in 2017. The prime minister – who took office just a week ago – has already visited Somerset, Essex and Glasgow before returning to Manchester to inaugurate No 10 North, which he called “the nerve centre for a rewired Britain”. Gathering cabinet ministers, civil servants and regional mayors, he declared: “This might be the best day of my life.”
“Andy Burnham rules out early general election, launches No 10 North in Manchester, and weighs exempting care workers from immigration rules.”
While Burnham focuses on governing, his administration is weighing major changes to social care and immigration. The prime minister, whose father Roy has Alzheimer’s, is considering exempting hundreds of thousands of care workers from Shabana Mahmood’s plans to toughen the right to remain. “The system’s broken,” Burnham told broadcasters. “You can’t leave social care like this.” He will give a speech next week outlining his determination to create a National Care Service before the next election, accelerating the process set by Keir Starmer and bringing forward Louise Casey’s review from 2028.
On tax and devolution, Burnham is set to give mayors – including Sadiq Khan – a share of income tax revenue to fund local infrastructure, investment, job creation and growth projects. The measure, if confirmed, would hand City Hall extra cash to spend on London’s priorities.
Meanwhile, the prime minister faces pressure to mend fences with sacked Starmerites. Baroness Harriet Harman urged him to “build bridges” with the ministers he removed during his reshuffle. But Burnham appears undeterred, having already announced a nationwide £2 bus fare cap and plans to scrap VAT on household electricity bills.
With both Labour and Reform polling at 28% according to DeltaPoll, and the Tories languishing on 18%, Burnham’s decision to rule out an early election may test his ability to maintain momentum. “I just think what I most need to do is get Britain focused,” he said. The question now is whether his promise – and his ambitious agenda – can survive a full parliamentary term.