Andy Burnham used his first Downing Street address as Prime Minister on Monday afternoon (20 July) to promise “the biggest changes for the last 40 years”, vowing that his appointment would be a “circuit breaker for Britain”. Speaking without a lectern, in a break with convention, Burnham said his first instruction would be to “end rough sleeping in our country”, and pledged to make politics “more collaborative” and “more about problem solving than point scoring”. He reiterated his commitment to devolving power out of Whitehall and into “every postcode in the land”, and said he would set out a new ten-year plan later this year. “Laying out the path from where we are now to where I want Britain to be,” he said. But he also revealed several measures would be announced in the coming days – starting tomorrow – to give “people breathing space now”, hinting at help for young people back into work and building more council homes. “That is the fair and sustainable way to bring the welfare bill down, to meet our fiscal rules and to honour our commitments on defence,” Burnham said. He ended his speech by urging: “Let us make this the moment that Britain starts to believe again.”
Earlier, Burnham and his wife, Marie-France van Heel, met the King at Buckingham Palace, where Burnham was appointed Prime Minister. He is the country’s seventh prime minister in the last decade, he noted, but insisted his premiership would bring about the “biggest changes for the last 40 years”.
“Andy Burnham becomes PM promising ‘circuit breaker’ while Thames Water bans hosepipes for 10.1 million customers.”
Separately, on the same day, Britain’s biggest water company, Thames Water, announced a hosepipe ban affecting 10.1 million customers. The restriction, also known as a temporary use ban (TUB), will come into effect at 12.01am on Thursday. It applies to all customers supplied with drinking water across London, the Thames Valley and the Home Counties – but not to waste-only customers.
The outgoing prime minister, Keir Starmer, had earlier pledged his “full support” to Burnham. In a final speech on Downing Street on Monday morning, before driving to the Palace to offer his resignation to the King, Starmer said: “My work is done. I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.” He added: “As I now pass the baton to Andy Burnham, I wish him every success. He has my full support.” Starmer was surrounded by dozens of advisers, loyal Cabinet ministers and loved ones who applauded him as he left Downing Street. He spoke of politics as a “team sport”, perhaps a gentle reminder that a number of Starmerites will remain active stakeholders in the Labour Party after his departure. He again made special reference to his wife Victoria, who accompanied him out of the black door, and said “I go with good …”
