ANDY Burnham has become the United Kingdom’s seventh Prime Minister in a decade, pledging to break with the politics of the past to deliver a new economic model to benefit a country “fed up” with a revolving door of leaders.
In front of dozens of supporters outside his new office and residence at 10 Downing Street, Mr Burnham said politicians had failed to bring the stability needed to raise living standards, something he said he would change with immediate policies and a longer-term plan to be drawn up later this year.
“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,” he said, speaking without notes and dispensing with the lectern that Prime Ministers generally use.
“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.”
Just over an hour after his predecessor and Labour colleague Keir Starmer made his farewell speech to say “My work is done,” the 56-year-old former Greater Manchester Mayor entered Downing Street, where he said his team would tackle his first priority: to end rough sleeping.
But the major challenges lie ahead.
Burnham must first unveil his cabinet – already the subject of much debate in the Labour party – and then tackle a long list of problems ranging from anaemic economic growth to a cost-of-living crisis and underperforming utility firms.
Mr Starmer, who was ousted by his own MPs about a month ago, said his work as prime minister was “the privilege of my life” and that he wished Burnham every success.
“He has my full support,” Mr Starmer said.
Mr Burnham did not refer to Starmer in his speech, instead focusing on how he will rip up much of what went before.
But he acknowledged that some of his program would take time.
“Later this year, I will bring forward a new Plan for Britain, a 10-year plan, laying out a plan from where we are now to where I believe we all want Britain to be, wherever we’re coming from, whatever party we support,” he said.
But he said he would also give people “some breathing space now” by setting out measures on Tuesday to tackle the cost of living, and how he will pay for them.
Beyond tackling homelessness, Burnham said he would build more public housing to help bring down welfare spending, which would help fund higher defence investment.