Andy Burnham sworn in as seventh British Prime Minister within a decade

The 56-year-old Burnham takes over the Labour leadership in a difficult economic and foreign-policy situation. The British economy is weakening, the country is losing influence on the world stage, and the population is suffering from social inequality and factors such as a housing shortage and high energy costs. The right-wing populist party Reform UK has attracted above all former Labour voters, while the Conservative Tories are steadily losing relevance. In street interviews conducted by the BBC and the newspaper The Guardian, people reacted to Starmer's resignation with little surprise; one passer-by said: 'I'm glad, we needed a change.' Another remarked: 'It seems to be a modern phenomenon that British premiers don't last long.'

Burnham's Political Agenda: Distribution of Power and New Hope

The core of Burnham's agenda is the 'greatest redistribution of power' from the central government in London to the regions of the country. He promised to shift political and economic power more strongly back into public hands and away from London towards the regions. He aims thereby to reduce inequality and to respond to the anger of 'left-behind communities' that have increasingly turned to other forces. As a symbol of this targeted federalism, key functions are to be moved from London to Manchester. Housing construction and the improvement of public healthcare also rank among his priorities.

In his first speech as party leader, the 56-year-old Burnham presented himself as a classic social-democratic Labour politician, positioned somewhat to the left of centre. Anne McElvoy said on Deutschlandfunk that many people perceive Burnham as casual and down-to-earth. According to McElvoy, he wears football shirts and trainers, for example. In doing so, he embodies in a certain way the opposite of Keir Starmer, who is regarded as stiff and reserved. At the same time, McElvoy noted that the BBC also describes Burnham as a 'rücksichtsloser Strippenzieher', citing political rivals. He even mentioned his love for FC Everton, the Liverpool club less well known in Germany, in his inaugural speech. He hopes to demonstrate his closeness to ordinary people in the coming season as well, by taking out a season ticket.

Personality, Background and Political Style

Burnham is a committed European and a critic of Brexit; as a Brexit critic and convinced European, he stands in clear contrast to large parts of the country's previous Brexit supporters. Brexit, the rising energy and cost-of-living burdens caused by global crises, and the ongoing debates over migration policy are regarded as central drivers of political change. Burnham wants to tackle 'big, difficult things' such as the care of the elderly together with other parties and to give the country new hope. 'We want to give the country hope back' is his central slogan.

Journalist Josh Glancy said on the Times podcast 'The Story' that Britain needs someone who 'eigentlich einen stetigen Fortschritt in der Politik macht. Etwas Zeit in der Opposition, die Aufgabe ernst nehmen, sich als Alternative für das Land anbieten, echte Reformen vorantreiben'. Starmer had tried that, but in his case it did not work. Burnham grew up with two brothers in the tranquil village of Culcheth between Manchester and Liverpool. He is the father of three children. As an MP, he had already tried unsuccessfully in 2010 and 2015 to be elected to the leadership of the Labour Party. Last Friday his appointment followed without a rival candidate. As Mayor of Manchester, the expansion of affordable public transport was one of Burnham's greatest successes. The politician sees himself as a representative of a 'wirtschaftsfreundlichen Sozialismus'.

Cabinet and Economic Policy Directions

For forming his government, Burnham is reportedly planning for ten years in office. Today he will be appointed British Prime Minister by King Charles. In office he intends to introduce a new course in energy policy: there are apparently plans for a departure from the radical course of Energy Minister Edward Miliband, who had consistently rejected all new projects for the extraction of oil and gas from the North Sea. According to recent reports, Burnham could, contrary to the previous Labour line, once again approve new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. This also includes targeted aid for strategically important industries such as steel and defence, the energy sector and agriculture.

There is much speculation about personnel: according to speculation, Shabana Mahmood is to succeed the luckless Rachel Reeves at the Treasury. The lawyer from Labour's right wing has proved herself in the justice and interior portfolios, but provoked protest on the party left with a hardline asylum and immigration law. Jonathan Reynolds, who left his post as Business Secretary only ten months ago, is reportedly set to return to it; he enjoys a high standing among business representatives. A central role, probably in the Cabinet Office, is likely to go to Louise Haigh, who had to resign two years ago because of a youthful indiscretion. Key figures such as the Prime Minister's security and economic advisers are to remain in Downing Street. Among Burnham's closest advisers, alongside Haigh, is the future deputy chief whip Anneliese Midgley. Thames Water, the company saddled with 20 billion euros in debt, is also to be placed under partial state receivership.

Burnham's first foreign visit is likely to be deliberately to Kyiv. With this he sets a sign of solidarity with Ukraine, similar to his predecessor Starmer. Overall, the new Prime Minister faces a difficult starting position, according to the political scientist Tony Travers: 'Das Risiko ist, dass die Person, die Premierminister wird, mit sowohl der Kritik als auch den Hoffnungen der Briten überlastet wird, und dass so der Job unmöglich oder mindestens wesentlich schwieriger als in der Vergangenheit geworden ist.' In a country that is in principle supposed to hold elections every five years, six Prime Ministers in the past ten years have uttered the sentence 'I am resigning' or variations of it.