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Andy Burnham: From Manchester Mayor to UK Prime Minister

20 July 2026 02:50

A Rapid Ascent from Manchester to Downing Street

Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester known as the 'King of the North,' is set to become the UK's next prime minister on Monday. His sudden rise follows the resignation of Keir Starmer after just two years in office, triggered by Labour's poor local election results and internal party pressure. Burnham, who left Westminster nearly a decade ago, returned to Parliament only weeks ago by winning a by-election in the northern constituency of Makerfield. Now, he will enter 10 Downing Street carrying high expectations and facing significant challenges. It took him a long time to get to the top, but he won't have much time to prove he's up to the job.

"A whole range of people across the Labour movement and in the country have projected onto Andy Burnham their hopes and their fantasies about how the country should be run and what Labour should stand for and what Andy Burnham stands for," said Joshi Herrmann, founder of Manchester news site The Mill. "He has got lots of people's hopes up."

From Liverpool to Cambridge: The Making of a Leader

Burnham was born in Liverpool and grew up in a commuter village between Liverpool and Manchester. His father was a British Telecom engineer, his mother a receptionist, and he was raised in a close-knit Catholic family. Burnham has said he's "not particularly religious," but Catholic teaching, along with the center-left Labour Party, helped forge his values and sense of social justice. He attended Cambridge University, becoming the first in his family to go to university, though he initially doubted his place there. He needed a lot of persuading to apply because he felt that as a working-class boy, going off to Cambridge wasn't for him. It was at Cambridge that Burnham met his future wife, Dutch fellow student Marie-France van Heel, now a marketing executive. After graduating, he worked as a journalist at trade magazines before entering politics as a researcher and adviser to Labour politicians. Elected to Parliament in 2001, he served in the cabinets of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown as chief secretary to the Treasury, culture secretary, and health secretary.

Burnham told the Times that he was sad that his father, who has Alzheimer's, was unaware that he was becoming prime minister. “The way I look at it, it’s his achievement as well,” Burnham said. “A whole family achievement, although he doesn’t know it.”

The Hillsborough Disaster and a Turn to Northern Leadership

A pivotal moment came in 2009 when Burnham was heckled at a commemoration of the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster, in which 97 Liverpool soccer fans were killed. He became a champion for the bereaved families, helping to push for a new inquest, an apology, and a law imposing a duty of candor on public officials. After Labour lost power in 2010, Burnham ran twice for the party leadership, losing both times. In 2017, he quit Parliament to run for mayor of Greater Manchester, a role that played to his strengths of pragmatism and coalition-building.

Manchesterism and the 'King of the North'

As mayor, Burnham adopted a business-friendly socialist approach known as 'Manchesterism,' harnessing public and private investment for transport, housing, and infrastructure. Manchester boomed under his tenure, with skyscrapers rising on post-industrial sites and the public transport system improved. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he gained the nickname 'King of the North' by criticizing Prime Minister Boris Johnson's 'London-centric' response, positioning himself as a champion of northern England. His informal style—jeans and T-shirts, love for Oasis, The Smiths and New Order—contrasted sharply with traditional Westminster politicians. He spent spare time playing soccer or spinning 1990s tunes during DJ battles.

California Context: Lessons from a Distant Political Shift

While this news is about UK politics, it offers a case study in regional leadership and devolution that resonates in California. The state's own political dynamics, from the influence of mayors in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco to the push for regional autonomy, mirror some themes in Burnham's rise. His focus on devolving power away from London parallels California's ongoing debates about local control and state versus federal authority. For California readers, Burnham's journey highlights how regional leaders can leverage local success to ascend to national office.

Background: A Decade of Political Instability

Burnham will become the UK's seventh prime minister in a decade, following a period of extraordinary political turmoil. The 2016 Brexit referendum triggered a series of leadership changes, from David Cameron to Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, and Keir Starmer. Each leader struggled with the economic fallout of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Burnham inherits a sluggish economy, high living costs, and a strained National Health Service, with limited fiscal room to maneuver.

Conclusion: A New Path or More of the Same?

Burnham has promised to give people 'hope back' and challenge a political culture that 'simply doesn't work well enough for ordinary people.' But he faces the same constraints as his predecessor: a struggling economy, an overstretched NHS, and an unpredictable international environment. His success may depend on whether his charisma and regional credentials can translate into effective national governance. As one analyst put it, 'This is really a live experiment in how important the messenger is.'

Timeline of the Transition

On Monday, July 20, the formal transfer of power will unfold. At around 11:15am, Sir Keir Starmer is expected to give his final speech before tendering his resignation. Then at 11:30am, he will go to Buckingham Palace to greet the King for the final time and offer his formal resignation. At 12pm, Mr Burnham will visit Buckingham Palace, where the King will invite him to form a Government. The former GM Mayor is then expected to leave the palace and arrive at Downing Street for the first time as Prime Minister at around 12:40pm. He is expected to make his first speech to the nation as Prime Minister at around 1pm.

First Speech as Prime Minister

In his first address outside No 10, Burnham promised to give the public "more breathing room" and said he would set out a new 10-year plan for Britain by the end of this year. He also announced that his first instruction as prime minister would be to end rough sleeping, a pledge that was met with cheers from supporters gathered outside Downing Street. His predecessor Starmer gave a farewell speech in the same spot earlier that morning before formally offering his resignation to the King.

Burnham said his arrival in power would be a "circuit breaker" moment for Britain, pledging that his government would restore hope to millions of people. He acknowledged the cost of living pressures and said he would start announcing measures on Tuesday to give them "some breathing space now," expected to include help with energy bills and bus fares. He said he would set out how they would be funded.

Speaking without notes, and watched by his wife, Marie-France van Heel, he said: "I am acutely conscious that I am the sixth person in the last 10 years to walk up this street, the seventh prime minister since 2016, making this a moment for reflection and new resolution. It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge. Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again, and that is our challenge to make politics work, to make it work better. I know people at home are fed up with politics. I hear you, and I want to be honest with you. We have not been good enough, and we need to be better. We will be."

Burnham, who took over from Starmer as the leader of the Labour party on Friday, has put transforming the UK's economic system at the heart of his plans, despite limited room for manoeuvre before the next election given his commitment to the fiscal rules. "We will make this moment a circuit breaker for Britain, bringing forward the biggest changes in the last 40 years. A new political model and a new economic model," he said. "In the 1980s, Britain took some wrong turns. Political power was centralised, economic power privatised, large parts of the country deindustrialised and they still haven't recovered. Many feel as though they're still in decline, and they don't have the ability to turn things around. And that's why we will change politics to make it more collaborative, more about problem solving than point scoring. And we will take power out of here and carry it into every postcode in the land, so that they can do more."

The former Greater Manchester mayor, who will begin making cabinet appointments on Monday afternoon, said his government would put "the right values and the right standards" at its heart. "I will put the care of people at the heart of everything I do, I will give this my all, and I ask you all to pull with me," he told the assembled crowd, which included his close ally Steve Rotheram, the Liverpool city region mayor, and the former Everton star Peter Reid. "Let's build a new national sense of unity, of common purpose, and positivity. Let us make this the moment when Britain starts to believe again, the moment we bring back hope."

As Burnham entered No 10 for the first time as prime minister, a Downing Street official instructed the staff lining the halls: "You can clap now." The applause began before the famous door opened, and the first sight and sound to greet Burnham and his wife were crowds of clapping staff stretching up the long corridor to the Cabinet Room. Laura Kuenssberg, who was granted rare behind-the-scenes access, noted that she had rarely seen a politician look as thoroughly delighted as Burnham, pride bursting out of his buttoned-up suit. The T-shirt and bomber jacket didn't make it to No 10. Burnham stopped to shake as many hands as possible, a sign of his different style. No 10 staff are already wondering if they'll ever be able to stick to a regular prime minister's schedule, as Burnham seems eager to stop and speak to everyone.

Sources and Materials

In further details set out by No 10, £340 million funding was announced to go towards acquiring suitable homes, identifying those most in need and starting to provide housing and support "without delay." The funding will provide 1,200 homes and intensive support for at least 3,000 long-term rough sleepers over a five-year period, the Government said. The money, said to be from within uncommitted Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government budgets, will be on top of the previously announced £3.6bn funding under the National Plan to End Homelessness – which came under Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership – bringing the total to over £3.9bn. In a written statement provided by No 10, Mr Burnham said: "For too long, we’ve been told that ending rough sleeping will take decades or even that it’s impossible. I’m not having that. This is something a government can fix if it chooses to. Today, I’m choosing to. On my first day as Prime Minister, I’m announcing this Government’s commitment to finally end long-term rough sleeping across the UK at the earliest opportunity."

Just hours before formally becoming the UK’s new leader, he visited homelessness charity The Passage in Victoria, London. The organisation has the Prince of Wales as its royal patron, with William having first visited in 1993 alongside his mother Diana, then Princess of Wales. Mr Burnham said his early morning visit was the "best place to start" ahead of his premiership, visiting such a charity to see "the lives that are being turned around." After accompanying charity workers out on the streets on their daily check-in with rough sleepers in the Victoria area, Mr Burnham returned to The Passage building to help with food preparation by chopping mushrooms for the day’s breakfast and lunch. He told the charity’s chief executive, Mick Clarke, that he had "seen your world from the ground" as Manchester mayor. He said: "When you have that experience, you can do something with it when you are back at the national level. You change lives everyday (here)."

Burnham's Record on Rough Sleeping in Greater Manchester

As Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham vowed to end rough sleeping in the region by 2020. Data shows he made major progress towards that goal initially. He set up a scheme in 2018 called ‘A Bed Every Night’ to get people off the streets by creating emergency accommodation and support, donating 15 per cent of his mayoral salary. It led to a huge drop in the number of rough sleepers in Greater Manchester, from 268 people in 2017 to 90 in 2021. Despite progress, rough sleeping did not end in the region, and in recent years figures show the issue is getting worse, with 197 people recorded as sleeping rough in 2025; with 154 in autumn 2024, up from 149 in 2023. The GMCA said that was still below 268 at the peak in 2017. Compared to rough sleeping in England though, Greater Manchester is performing better. The number of people rough sleeping in England fell from 4,751 in 2017 to a low of 2,443 in 2021. The national figures have also been rising since then, but by more than in Greater Manchester, with the total in England now higher than in 2017 at 4,793. Last year, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority announced it would increase bed spaces available through A Bed Every Night from 550 to more than 600 in April 2025. As mayor of Greater Manchester, Mr Burnham said at the time: "The truth of the matter is that the grip of the housing crisis is still tightening every year across our city-region. Our own research in Greater Manchester shows that we're spending at least £75 million every year on renting temporary accommodation across the city-region, and we only get 42pc of that back via housing benefit. The only solution we have to fix this shortfall is by building a supply of truly affordable, social and council housing. Our Housing First approach provides a good, safe home for those who need it. Paired with wraparound support services and the funding we’ve received from..."

Burnham has also launched a UK-wide listening tour as he seeks to rebuild public trust and deliver a different style of politics. He describes his approach as "business-friendly socialism," aiming to give more power to local governments, tackle the cost-of-living crisis, and expand subsidized housing.

Burnham was acclaimed as Labour leader on July 17 at a special party conference, receiving the highest number of MP nominations ever recorded in a modern Labour leadership contest. In his first speech as Labour leader, he pledged to deliver what he called “the most significant moment in our politics for 40 years,” promising a government focused on making life more affordable and reducing regional inequalities. He vowed to “be a leader for the North, the South, the East and the West, for Scotland, Wales and for Northern Ireland.” His policy framework, which he terms “Manchesterism,” draws directly on his experience regenerating Greater Manchester after nearly a decade as its elected mayor.

Burnham’s central pledge is to accelerate devolution—shifting control over housing, utilities, transport, and education away from central government in London toward local communities and cities. Britain ranks among the most financially centralized countries in the developed world, according to OECD data, a concentration Burnham argues has widened inequality between London and the rest of the country. He cites Manchester’s integrated Bee Network, a public transport system that drew people back into buses and trams, as a concrete example of “Manchesterism” in action. Under his leadership as mayor, Manchester’s economy became one of the fastest-growing municipal economies in the United Kingdom, with a skyline transformation from post-industrial decay to glass skyscrapers and regenerated canal-side arts districts.

On taxation and spending, Burnham has committed to honoring Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledge not to raise taxes on working people, ruling out increases in income tax, employee National Insurance, and value-added tax. He has also committed to keeping the triple lock, a policy that raises the state pension each year in line with inflation, average earnings growth, or 2.5%—whichever is highest. For utilities, he has signaled greater state control without committing to full re-nationalization, though he said he could see a case for public ownership of the debt-laden Thames Water.

Burnham’s return to Parliament came only weeks ago, when he won a by-election in the northern constituency of Makerfield after leaving Westminster nearly a decade earlier. That quick ascent reflects his status as one of Britain’s most popular politicians, a reputation built largely on his outspoken defense of the North during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2020, during a televised news conference, he angrily lashed out at the central government over confusing lockdown rules, declaring “This is no way to run the country in a national crisis,” and predicting the restrictions would hurt lower-paid workers often forgotten by those in power. The moment went viral and established him as a different kind of politician.

Why Britain is getting a new prime minister without a general election

Britain's parliamentary democracy allows governing parties to change leaders midterm, with the winner becoming prime minister without the need for a general election. Prime ministers can be replaced if one has resigned as leader of their party, or been forced out by a leadership challenge. The next national election does not have to be held until 2029, five years from the last election in 2024. Starmer announced he was quitting as Labour leader on June 22 after barely two years in power, ending a tenure marred by a series of political missteps — most notably his decision to appoint a man with close ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as Britain's ambassador to the United States. Heavy losses suffered by Labour in a midterm set of local elections in May prompted many lawmakers to demand Starmer's resignation. And when Burnham — favored by many within Labour to lead the party and the country — won a special election for a seat in Parliament, Starmer gave in to the mounting pressure to quit. His resignation automatically triggered a Labour leadership contest. Under Labour rules, a lawmaker can challenge the leader if they have the backing of a fifth of the party's House of Commons lawmakers. There was no contestant other than Burnham, who comfortably surpassed that threshold. Burnham received support from 379 out of 401 Labour Party lawmakers, and was announced Labour leader at a special party conference on Friday. He officially became prime minister on Monday, when he met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace for a formal go-ahead.

It's not unusual for prime ministers to come to power without a broad election under Britain's parliamentary system. In fact, four of the six British prime ministers in the past decade took the top job by winning internal party leadership contests to replace their predecessors, not by public vote. In the 2010s, both Theresa May and Boris Johnson became prime minister after winning Conservative leadership races when their predecessors resigned midterm. When Johnson announced he was quitting in 2022, the Conservatives held a leadership contest and the party's members chose Liz Truss to replace him. And when Truss stepped down, just 49 days later, she was in turn replaced by Rishi Sunak via a similar process. Burnham thus becomes the seventh prime minister in a turbulent decade of U.K. politics, marked by a rapid succession of leaders who all, to some extent, failed to successfully manage the messy aftermath of Britain's decision to divorce from the European Union.

After years of leadership churn, the sequence of traditional events involved in the transfer of power has become familiar for many in Britain. On Monday, Starmer made his farewell speech to the public before going to Buckingham Palace to hold a short meeting with the king and formally resign. Then it was Burnham's turn to arrive at the palace, where Charles formally asked him to form a government. The private meeting is known as the "Kissing of Hands," in accordance with historic tradition, though no hands are actually kissed and the men are more likely to shake hands. When Burnham left the palace he became the 59th person to hold the office of British prime minister. The whole sequence is typically broadcast live on television — and is over within hours.

Londoners' Reactions: Skepticism and Uncertainty

While Burnham is a popular figure in the North, Londoners are far less convinced. Many in the capital view him as just another Labour politician and express frustration over his ascent without a general election. Andrew Hawes, a 68-year-old wine merchant from Lambeth, said: “We know little about him. I know he used to be an MP and mayor of Manchester. We read a lot in the papers about him. They say business people are worried about what he will do and that he wants to devolve power. It’s all the left-wing thing he’s doing – if you read the media that’s the case anyway. I think generally people are worried he might ignore London and the city. There is a lot of unknown. He hasn’t stated a lot of policies and Labour was brought in on a mandate for Starmer, not Burnham.”

Marion Ross, walking down Lower Marsh near Waterloo station with her husband James, said: “We want a general election. This guy has come from up north, he’s been put in and we don’t know what he stands for or what his manifesto is. Everyone I talk to in London feels the same on this. I think our country is going down the toilet. He shouldn’t be shoed in with no mandate from the country. There are more than 400 MPs but they have to bring someone else in. We thought Elvis had come back to the building because he was waved in like a celebrity.” James, 87, added that a Prime Minister for millions in the UK being brought in after getting elected in Makerfield with just under 25,000 votes isn’t democratic.

Polly Smith, walking her dog Frodo, said: “We just don’t know what he’s about. You got to know him well with the mayoralty in Manchester, but we’re waiting to see what he’s going to do. It’s like watch this space, because we’re completely in the unknown. I hope it’ll be better than before. We’re much more cautious about it than maybe the north is. It’s all rather odd because this is our Prime Minister but it’s all done without a mandate. At least with Rishi Sunak coming in after Boris Johnson we knew what we were getting. Does he have to stick by the Labour manifesto or doesn’t he? Will he just tear it up, stick with what Starmer said, or do something completely different?”

Roger Bristow, 75, heading home from the pub, added: “Life goes on whatever, it doesn’t matter who’s in Number 10 as they’ll do whatever they want. I’ve not seen what he stands for, so it’s sort of unknown.” Mary King said: “I didn’t like the way it was done. I don’t know much about Burnham but I know people like him, but others say he takes credit for ideas that weren’t his. He’s good at making people feel positive without any detail. If you listen to what he’s been saying it’s all been quite vague. I think the five Prime Ministers in four years shows people not being realistic about the issues we have. You can’t have everything you want. We need to focus on our priorities. I want Burnham to say what the problems are, the choices we have to make and stop flip flopping and messing around.”

However, younger Londoners are more positive. Susannah Bond, a 29-year-old publican, said: “My boyfriend is big on him and we’ve watched some of the interviews online. A lot of it is quite funny. My friends live in Manchester and they’re big on him as well. I feel quite positive about him as he will be a bit of fresh air. I think it’s about his background and how he’s come into politics that I like. He’s a bit more grounded and he’s more relatable as well. He’s doing it because he cares about people and the country rather than seeing it as a career. I prefer him to Starmer. I think London gets a lot of attention so change could be good.” Konstantin Mikhaav, a 32-year-old who regularly comes from Kazakhstan to work in the UK, said: “I’ve been all over the country and Manchester is a lot better for me. I felt more welcome there.”

Cabinet Appointments

Burnham made top appointments to his cabinet, making John Healey his chancellor in a move that took Westminster by surprise. Rachel Reeves had already confirmed she would be leaving the role and would not be serving in Burnham's cabinet, turning down the offer of another job. She was joined by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who also stepped down from the Cabinet. In other top moves, former energy secretary Ed Miliband has been promoted to foreign secretary, with Shabana Mahmood reappointed home secretary. Louise Haigh, a key ally who oversaw his preparations for No 10, has been given the job of running the Cabinet Office and appointed first secretary of state. Appointments, including to roles below the cabinet rank, are expected to continue on Tuesday.

Starmer's Farewell

Earlier, Sir Keir gave a short departure speech in Downing Street. With his supporters lining the street, he repeated key themes from the speech announcing his resignation in June, such as turning around the fortunes of the Labour Party and lowering child poverty. Despite leaving just two years after his landslide victory at the 2024 election, he insisted that he was proud of his record in office, saying Britain was "now stronger and fairer." "I go with good grace, I go with a smile," he said. He had time for a hug afterwards with Rachel Reeves, his chancellor and Downing Street neighbour during his time in office.

International Reaction and Market Concerns

Burnham's ascent has drawn international attention, including from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who described Britain as a "poverty stricken disaster" in a social media post. Other global leaders, however, offered congratulations, with messages of support from across Europe and the Commonwealth. Investors and market watchers have also expressed skepticism about Burnham's policy agenda, questioning its feasibility and potential impact on the economy. In his first speech as premier, Burnham emphasized his commitment to building "a new economy where we put life's essentials back under stronger public control to make them affordable again, reindustrializing Britain using public procurement to back British industry."

Number 10 North and Devolution Push

On his fourth day as prime minister, Burnham did not stay at Downing Street in London. Nor did he go to Manchester, the home of Number 10 North. He went to Glasgow. Hours before King Charles and Queen Camilla opened the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Burnham held his first in-person meetings with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth. The talks were meant to demonstrate, in Burnham’s own words, that growth is needed “in every postcode across the whole of the UK”. A meeting with Northern Ireland’s First and Deputy First Ministers, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, is pencilled in for a wider UK tour in August. Notably absent from the agenda, at Burnham’s insistence, was any discussion of a second Scottish independence referendum.

Just days after being appointed prime minister, Burnham is testing a proposition that will define his premiership. He’s selling a vision that the office itself can be partly relocated out of London to Manchester, the city he governed as mayor from 2017 until his return to UK Parliament in the Makerfield by-election last month.

Stripped of rhetoric, Number 10 North is a written ministerial statement. On July 21, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal, confirmed on the government’s behalf that devolution and local growth policy functions are moving out of the housing ministry and the Treasury and into a new Manchester-based operation. There, civil servants will work inside a restructured Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, led by Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo. Number 10 North will be based at Manchester’s Heron House in the interim and the government “Digital Campus” once it’s completed in 2032, as the new government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham seeks to establish No 10 North as “the dominant driver of the UK’s economy”. The interim headquarters is Heron House, in the New Islington area of Manchester, chosen partly for its proximity to a planned Manchester Digital Campus. Caroline Simpson, the outgoing chief executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has been named Burnham’s deputy chief of staff, and will be in charge of day-to-day office operations. Downing Street says Burnham himself expects to work from Manchester “at least one day a week”, though officials caution his diary may change, and insists the arrangement carries no additional cost to taxpayers. Burnham calls it “the nerve centre of a rewired Britain” and rejects suggestions it is symbolic. “Not a gimmick,” he told his first Cabinet meeting about Number 10 North.

Number 10 North “establishes the plumbing, but the water isn’t flowing yet”, said Mirte Boot of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) North. The institutional architecture is firming up, but fiscal devolution – ie, the transfer of money and tax-raising power – that would make such a policy meaningful doesn’t yet exist, she added. Still, she calls it “a step in the right direction” after what she describes as “too much power condensed into one postcode”. Leaving Westminster isn’t enough; Number 10 North will need “strong political leadership aside from the prime minister”, she added. The verdict that Number 10 North contains vision and ambition but currently lacks a detailed plan and delivery mechanism is a recurring response from independent voices. Jonathan Carr-West of the Local Government Information Unit calls Burnham’s devolution agenda “the most ambitious statement … from a senior politician in a generation”, while warning that English councils are so financially hollowed out that the vision “requires a vehicle” it does not yet have. Malcolm Morgan, a transport researcher at the University of Leeds, puts it more bluntly: genuine devolution means spending, taxation and regulatory power, not just relocated functions, and “devolution does not create more funding”. That funding question sits unresolved alongside the national one. The 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act expanded mayors’ control over transport, planning and housing, but left fiscal devolution to a separate Treasury “roadmap” due alongside the autumn budget. According to Centre for Cities, a UK urban policy think tank, the UK remains the most fiscally centralised country in the G7: some 95 percent of tax revenue flows straight to Whitehall.

For Scotland’s SNP government, the Number 10 North framing is beside the point. First Minister Swinney responded that “rhetoric alone will not cut it” and argued that four consecutive Holyrood elections have handed his party a mandate for Scottish self-determination, something Westminster keeps ignoring, he said. In Glasgow, Burnham declined to engage with that argument directly. Meanwhile, Wales’ Ap Iorwerth struck a more cooperative note but still said he expected that Number 10 North would deliver tangible benefits for Wales.

Where does new UK premier Andy Burnham stand on Israel and antisemitism?

Andy Burnham officially became Britain’s new Labour prime minister on Monday, replacing Keir Starmer and raising questions about how he will navigate policy on Israel and rising antisemitism in his country. Starmer, who resigned following the party’s disastrous showing in local elections in May, left behind a mixed record on antisemitism. He purged the party of its image as hostile to Jews under former party leader Jeremy Corbyn. But at the same time, attacks against Jews in Britain have risen in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel, and uncertainty is at a high.

Burnham has spent much of his political career over the past decade cultivating close ties with Britain’s Jewish community. As the former mayor of Greater Manchester, home to one of Europe’s largest Jewish populations, Burnham frequently spoke out against antisemitism, attended Holocaust commemorations and worked closely with Jewish communal organizations. Yet in the lead-up to his installation as prime minister, Burnham also signaled a shift in Labour’s mainstream position on Israel and Gaza, including support for greater pressure on Israel. Burnham’s comments about Labour’s leadership contest prompted a sharp rebuke from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, which expressed “significant concerns” over his framing of Gaza and Israel’s war with Hamas. The umbrella groups also said they welcomed his commitment to tackling antisemitism.

During Labour’s 2015 leadership contest, Burnham said at a Jewish community debate that his first foreign trip, should he win the Labour leadership, would be to Israel. He opposed a boycott of Israel, asking, “What message would it send?” while stating that he supported a negotiated two-state solution. In a questionnaire sent to him that year by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, he also stated that he supported “two states living side by side in peace, and recognized by all of their neighbors.” However, he added that he supported “an end to occupation and illegal settlement building by the Israelis, and an end to the rocket and terror attacks by the terrorist group Hamas.” He also made it clear at the time that he did not support West Bank settlements, telling the PSC, “Labour recognizes that the settlements and their continued expansion remain key obstacles to resolving the conflict, as [then party leader] Ed Miliband has said, they are both illegal and immoral.”

Criticism from Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch

Kemi Badenoch has accused Andy Burnham of governing like he is still the mayor of Greater Manchester, with a "spending spree" of early promises. The Conservative leader said the new prime minister had failed to explain how a series of measures announced during his first days in office could be paid for. Burnham's early policies include restoring a £2 cap on bus fares in England and cutting VAT on household electricity bills. As mayor, Burnham had kept a £2 bus fare cap in place when the Starmer government raised the England-wide limit to £3 at the start of last year. Labour defended his announcements, adding he was "bringing back hope after Kemi Badenoch's Tory Party nearly broke Britain." Burnham told his newly assembled cabinet on Tuesday "we need to be a cost of living government" and he has billed his policy blitz as a first move to give people "breathing space," promising further support when wider tax and spending decisions are made. Alongside the bus fare cap and energy VAT cut, he has also announced plans to cut business rates paid by pubs and live music venues and find more accommodation to house rough sleepers, in interventions projected to cost around £1.8bn in total. The government says the plans, funded through a combination of savings, reallocation of money within existing budgets and future tax hikes on "anti-social businesses," have been properly accounted for. But in a speech in London on Thursday, Badenoch said Burnham needed to be clearer about where his savings would come from and called on him to rule out tax rises at the autumn Budget. She also criticised him for "floating" possible future policies such as providing social care free at the point of use, a huge expansion in council house building, and increasing the tax-free personal allowance. "He doesn't actually know what he wants to do, he is thinking out loud. All that we know is it's going to cost a lot of money," she added. Badenoch said the new prime minister needed to "lift his sights to broader things," calling for him to set out plans to fund defence spending and lower the cost of energy for businesses. "Andy Burnham's ambitions for Britain are too small," she said. She added: "When you are mayor of Manchester, you are handed a big pot of someone else's money, and you decide where to spend it. I'm sure this is great fun. It can make you very popular. But it is not the same as being prime minister. Andy Burnham needs to do better. He is behaving like he's still the mayor of Manchester. He is now the prime minister of the United Kingdom, he needs to start acting like it." The Liberal Democrats said Burnham's policies would not deliver growth, but added that the Tory leader's speech was "a bit rich... given the Conservatives' legacy of record high taxes, low-growth and spaffing taxpayers' money up the wall."

Burnham has also cited Greater Manchester's bus operating model, in which private bus firms bid to run services franchised by the local transport authority, as a possible model for regulating the water and energy sectors. The Greater Manchester mayorality, created under the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government, came with responsibilities in areas such as transport, planning, skills, and economic development. Although it is part-funded through some local taxation, the majority of its budget comes from central government and the powers of the mayor over taxation are fairly limited. Former chancellor Rachel Reeves had set out an ambition to give regional mayors control of a share of income tax raised in their areas before she was sacked, with details set to be announced at this autumn's Budget.

What Burnham's Premiership Could Mean for Sport

Andy Burnham is only into his second day as the UK's Prime Minister, but already people are wondering what this could mean for sport. Consistency appears guaranteed, because Lisa Nandy will stay as the secretary of state for the department of culture, media and sport (DCMS). The pair already have a close working relationship. Nandy is the MP for Wigan which sits within the area of the Greater Manchester mayor, a post which Burnham had held for the past nine years.

Burnham is an avid sports fan and has backed several initiatives throughout his political career. After being elected as the new MP for Makerfield last month, he gave his speech outside Edge Green Street - home to Ashton Town of the North West Counties League. The 56-year-old held Nandy's position at the DCMS for 18 months from January 2008.

From the Olympics to infrastructure to how sports are governed, here is what his premiership could bring.

The Olympics of the north? And the World Cup?

The UK last hosted the Olympics in 2012, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan is eyeing up another bid for the 2040 event. But in his role as Greater Manchester mayor, Burnham has already backed an Olympic Games for the north. In February, Burnham said it would be a 'defining moment for the north' and 'a powerful opportunity to unlock future growth'. A northern Olympics bid would fit Burnham's vision of taking some of the attention away from the capital.

The 2035 Women's World Cup will be hosted by England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Burnham has backed the regeneration of Old Trafford with a new ground for Manchester United. Plans are set to be signed off by Trafford Council on 21 July, with the intention the 100,000 venue would be ready for the Women's World Cup. Might a men's World Cup bid get government backing now too? Burnham has also supported shifting FA Cup semi-finals away from Wembley, having been exclusively hosted at the stadium since 2008.

Support for the independent football regulator?

Burnham has not shied away from clashing with the Premier League and football's authorities. In 2023, he wrote to the Premier League insisting that Everton's 10-point penalty for breaching profit and sustainability rules should be declared 'null and void'. There should be no concerns about the future of the independent football regulator, set up by Nandy and whose powers are just starting to kick in. In 2020, Burnham was the co-author of a manifesto for change called 'Saving Our Beautiful Game'. It laid out a number of recommendations, including 'an effective and independent body to oversee the financial regulation of the game'.

Burnham has long been involved with fans' groups and he founded Supporters Direct, one of the forerunner organisations to the Football Supporters' Association. He backs expanding supporter ownership and representation, in 2022 creating a taskforce for fans to buy Oldham Athletic. The club was eventually bought by local businessman Frank Rothwell, with the supporters' foundation taking a 3% shareholding and a seat on the board.

There could be a ban on unlicensed casinos from sponsoring sports teams, too, with Burnham a long-time critic of the negative effects of gambling. An eight-week consultation has opened to consider proposals. Burnham's Everton have a link to Stake.com, a crypto casino without a licence to operate in the UK.

Burnham was also a staunch supporter of justice for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster. His work as an MP partly led to the Hillsborough Law, which was passed last week and is intended to prevent cover-ups linked to failures of the state. When Burnham was at the DCMS he ordered the first review of the 'crown jewels' sports events in 10 years. It recommended that the home Ashes cricket series be made free-to-view, but this was shelved when Labour lost power in 2010.

On Friday, July 24, Burnham officially launched No 10 North in Manchester, with Chancellor John Healey at his side. The new office, operating out of Heron House, is intended to shift power from Whitehall to the regions. Burnham told assembled civil servants: "It's not just a new office, through this place power is going to flow, energy is going to flow, new ideas are going to come through." He added that No 10 North would serve as a "North Pole that balances the South Pole of our country." Other ministers attending included Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh. Burnham also chaired a meeting of the National Economic Council, a cabinet committee first launched by Gordon Brown. He said he had agreed "a version" of the devolution model for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland following meetings with first ministers. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed the initiative as a "gimmick," saying it "does not make decision-making any better, it's just creating another branch of the civil service in a different place." Downing Street confirmed that Burnham flew from London to Glasgow and then to Manchester for the event.

In an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with Laura Kuenssberg, Burnham showed a different style, eager to connect with people. He shared an Instagram post rating pub snacks with his Chancellor John Healey, and showed off a gold disc on loan from The Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr. His dog, Axel, described as having "angry little man energy," also featured. Burnham's fluency and passion were evident on his familiar ground: social care, his Manchester record, and local empowerment. But on how to apply principles in practice, he was less clear. For example, on social care, he has long believed in a National Care Service like the NHS, but a speech on Wednesday did not detail how to fund it. The interview highlighted that Burnham's communication style is a major departure from his predecessor, but the challenges of debt, defence, and immigration remain.

First Visit to the East of England: A Pledge to Forgotten Communities

On July 26, Burnham made his first visit as prime minister to the East of England, traveling to Harlow in Essex. Speaking to the BBC, he addressed concerns that the region might be overlooked under a northern prime minister, vowing, "I'll be as much for the East as I will be for the North-West." He emphasized that communities on the fringe of big cities, like Harlow, often feel forgotten and deserve investment and attention. During the visit, he promoted his plan to cut business rates for pubs and music venues, arguing that such places are vital to community heritage and working-class culture. He met with local groups at the Hare pub, including a mental health group for older women.

Burnham also pledged to sort out the long-delayed plans for a new hospital for Harlow, which he first worked on as health secretary in 2009. He noted that the local MP had already requested a meeting to discuss the way forward. On local government reorganisation in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, he expressed support for creating stronger unitary authorities, drawing on his experience with the Greater Manchester combined authority, where initial resistance faded. Finally, reflecting on his education at Cambridge University's Fitzwilliam College, where he studied English Literature, Burnham noted that he is the first Cambridge graduate to become prime minister since Stanley Baldwin, and expressed pride in his attachment to the region.

During the visit, Burnham elaborated on his plans. He declared, "I'm here today to show my commitment to communities across the East of England… I'll be a regular visitor." On the hospital, he said, "I'm coming back thinking, 'Has that not been fixed yet?'" He also named local MP Chris Vince as the one who requested a meeting. Reflecting on his university, he remarked, "Hopefully I've struck a blow for Cambridge this week."

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UK politicsAndy BurnhamLabour Partyprime minister
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