Meet Andy Burnham, Britain's next prime minister
Andy Burnham was confirmed as Keir Starmer's successor as British prime minister. The former Manchester mayor became a leading figure in the Labour Party and
Andy Burnham was confirmed as Keir Starmer's successor as British prime minister. The former Manchester mayor became a leading figure in the Labour Party and one of the UK's most popular politicians. Nearly a month after Keir Starmer's resignation, former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, one of the most popular politicians in Britain, will become the country's seventh prime minister in 10 years. The move was made possible after Burnham won a byelection in the Makerfield constituency by a wide margin. He was then appointed as the leader of the ruling Labour Party on Friday, confirming him as Starmer's successor. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer quits To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A long political career "Everyone can feel the country isn't where it should be," 56-year-old Burnham said after his Makerfield election victory, in remarks that already sounded distinctly prime ministerial. "From here on I will give everything I have got to make it so. To ensure the name Makerfield is forever synonymous with bringing about the change this country needs, bringing back something we've lost ― hope ― hope for the future." Burnham is seen as a leading figure on Labour's moderate-left wing and has decades of experience in both national and regional politics.
He first entered Parliament in 2001. Under Prime Minister Tony Blair, he served as a junior minister at the Home Office before Blair's successor, Gordon Brown, appointed him to roles at the Finance Ministry, the Department for Culture, and later as health secretary. Burnham even ran for the Labour leadership twice, in 2010 and 2015. In 2017, he left Parliament to become mayor of Greater Manchester, a region of around 2.8 million people in northern England. He has since won reelection twice, most recently getting nearly two-thirds of the vote. Among Burnham's most notable achievements in Manchester is the expansion of affordable public transportation. Housing and health care have also been central priorities throughout his time as mayor. He is critical of Brexit, the UK's exit from the European Union in 2020, and describes himself as an advocate of "pro-business socialism." During the COVIDpandemic, Burnham locked horns with then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, demanding greater financial support for businesses and workers affected by lockdown restrictions. The confrontation and his general success in Manchester earned him the nickname "King of the North." In the past few years, Burnham's main criticism of his Labour Party colleague Keir Starmer has focused on the prime minister's cuts to welfare spending.
The BriefWire