Andy Burnham promises new economic model in first speech as British PM

LONDON – Andy Burnham pledged to end Britain’s political instability with a new economic model in his first speech after becoming prime minister on July 20.

“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,” he said, adding, “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.”

Burnham was invited by King Charles III to form a new government after being elected leader of the Labour Party uncontested, making him the seventh British prime minister to hold the office in little more than a decade.

Travelling to Downing Street directly from his meeting with the King, Burnham said that later in 2026, he would set out a 10-year plan to restore Britain’s economy and confidence.

But he added that, starting from July 21, he would set out some costed measures on the cost of living.

Burnham’s arrival in Downing Street represents a remarkable rise for a man who had twice before sought and failed to win leadership of the Labour Party.

After coming second to Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 he retreated from Westminster politics altogether and went be mayor of Manchester – an outsider status that helped propel him back to Westminster.

Outgoing prime minister Keir Starmer gave his final remarks from outside the black door of No. 10 Downing Street before formally stepping down as prime minister a short time before Burnham spoke.

Starmer had announced he was resigning in the face of consistently bad polling for his government which intensified over poor local election results in May.

He gave his successor his full backing as he spoke from Downing Street for the final time as PM.

He leaves the role just over two years after leading his party to a landslide election victory.

“I wish him every success,” he said of Burnham, adding: “I go with a smile, I go proud of everything we have achieved.”

Starmer said that, under his leadership, Britain “is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago” and said it had been “humbling” to have a front row seat to the achievements of the country.

“We face a world now where our enemies will stop at nothing to divide us,” he added. “It is vital that we remember the greatness of the Britain all around us.”

Burnham will now turn to the crucial task of appointing senior members of his government.

It is a moment of political jeopardy for any leader but perhaps even more acutely so for this PM who must now try to build a coalition of support in a fractured party filled with MPs fearful of being dumped from office by an electorate tempted by newly prominent fringe parties on the left and right. BLOOMBERG