Andy Burnham will pledge to restore confidence in government and say Britain must be honest about the challenges it faces when he becomes prime minister today, reports BritPanorama.
The Labour leader is expected to start appointing his cabinet on Monday afternoon after a visit to Buckingham Palace to accept the role of prime minister from the King.
Sir Keir Starmer will give a final statement in Downing Street at around 11.15am before his visit to the palace. Mr Burnham is expected to arrive outside Number 10 just before 1pm, where he will address the nation.
The former mayor of Greater Manchester is expected to launch a policy blitz this week, including scrapping Sir Keir’s controversial digital ID scheme and reportedly opening the door to more oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
US President Donald Trump reacted to reports of North Sea expansion over the weekend, saying that Mr Burnham will open oil fields “all the way.” He added: “The people of Aberdeen, in Scotland, are dancing in the streets.”
Liberal Democrat leader calls on Burnham to end the social care catastrophe
As Andy Burnham enters Number 10, the Liberal Democrats have called for changes on social care as party leader Ed Davey warns that failure to act will be “a catastrophe for families, for the NHS and for local services.”
The party has called for guaranteed rights for every carer, including respite care and a full replacement of the broken carers allowance.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said: “The social care crisis is a catastrophe for families, for the NHS and for local services. Commentators and politicians pontificate as to why Britain feels ungovernable and in decline. I’ll give them the answer: it’s the refusal to grasp the nettle of care.”
He added: “We are stuck with a system that better resembles the 1920s than the 2020s, where elderly people are left bedbound without support, and where families lose everything on care home fees. Where local services are defunded to prop up a broken model which politicians have not had the courage to touch. Liberal Democrats stand ready to work across party lines to tackle this existential crisis. For carers and for our country. Nothing matters more.”
Burnham’s ambition to transform housing market under threat amid housebuilding crisis
Andy Burnham’s ambition to transform Britain’s housing market is under threat as the housebuilding industry faces its toughest conditions since the financial crisis, with developers grappling with rising costs, weakening demand, and higher borrowing costs.
The new prime minister has argued that a radical expansion of social and affordable housing is essential to tackling the chronic housing shortage and has repeatedly called for greater public investment and powers to build at scale.
However, the economic backdrop confronting ministers and developers suggests that delivering those ambitions will be far from easy.
Watch: Burnham will stick to manifesto commitments on North Sea oil and gas, Labour deputy leader says
In an intervention hours before the new prime minister enters Downing Street, US President Donald Trump, a vocal supporter of fossil fuels, stated that the move would prevent Britain from becoming a “poverty-stricken disaster.”
Mr Burnham previously insisted he would stick to Labour’s manifesto pledge not to issue new North Sea licenses. However, he has also refused to deny reports that he is considering approving new production.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “The people of Aberdeen, in Scotland, are dancing in the streets because the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has stated that he will be opening up, all the way, the invaluable North Sea oil!”
The comments mark the start of a potentially turbulent relationship with Britain’s fifth prime minister in four years.
As Burnham prepares for his new role, he faces numerous challenges, from social care to housing, which could shape the trajectory of his government and its relationship with both political opponents and international allies.
