LONDON — Prime Minister Andy Burnham will face lawmakers in the House of Commons on Tuesday for the first time since becoming K. leader six weeks ago, with wars in Europe and the Middle East weighing on his promise to kick-start the economy and ease the cost of living. Since taking office on July 20, Burnham has traveled around the country promising to deliver renewed national optimism after the downbeat two-year tenure of his predecessor, Keir Starmer.
Burnham has announced a series of modest money-saving measures aimed at giving "breathing space" to people and businesses, including a tax cut on domestic energy bills and a lowering of levies on pubs and nightclubs. The prime minister's office said that Burnham will set out "a clear plan for how we turn things round." He is expected to say that greater public control over water, energy and transportation can drive economic growth and ease households' financial burden, though it's unclear how far he plans to reverse decades of privatization of key pillars of the economy.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who shook up her top team on Monday by appointing new economy and foreign affairs spokespeople, gets a chance to grill Burnham on Tuesday when Parliament returns from its summer break. Opponents have plenty of questions, including about No. 10 North, a second prime minister's office in Manchester. Burnham says it will help drive plans to give local leaders more powers and spread economic growth around the country. Critics call it an expensive gimmick.
A New Premier's Agenda
Burnham, a former lawmaker who was elected to Parliament in June after almost a decade away as mayor of Greater Manchester, is set to make a statement in the House of Commons setting out his vision of a more active but less centralized state. In his first remarks to Parliament, he vowed to "unlock a feeling of positivity and possibility," according to a report in The Globe and Mail. He promised a different kind of politics, pledging to pursue "problem-solving over point-scoring."
"It is what the country needs. It is what the public want more of, and it will characterize my time in office," he said.
Burnham harked back to the era of Margaret Thatcher and blamed her and Brexit for many of the country's current woes. "From the 1980s, this country took a series of wrong turns," he told MPs. "Political power was centralized, economic power privatized, the country deindustrialized, austerity followed," he added. "And then Brexit compounded the damage, ushering in a decade of low growth and stalled regeneration." The Globe and Mail reported that opposition leader Kemi Badenoch criticized Burnham's focus on Thatcher.
Burnham promised to return more power to city and regional councils, increase public ownership of key utilities, and shift part of the Downing Street operation to his hometown of Manchester, creating a No. 10 North.
Prison Policy Adjustments
Burnham faces pressure over Britain's overcrowded prisons. He was forced to water down plans to release some offenders early following calls from the widow of a police officer who died in a hit-and-run, as reported by The Manila Times. The Globe and Mail reported that Burnham announced changes to the early release program: prisoners convicted of manslaughter, death by dangerous driving, or indecent assault will not be eligible. Under a plan announced by Keir Starmer in January, some 6,000 inmates are due to be freed early this month, according to The Globe and Mail.
International Pressures and Upcoming Decisions
Burnham visited Kyiv last month to underscore Britain's support for Ukraine, as reported by multiple outlets. The Manila Times noted the visit was to show solidarity with President Volodymyr Zelensky. The United Kingdom is under pressure to spend more on the military in response to challenges from Russia and the Trump administration, as reported by The Associated Press and others. Burnham faces a contentious decision on whether to greenlight more oil and gas production in the North Sea, a decision that pits economic interests against climate commitments.
Starmer's Exit
Keir Starmer, Burnham's predecessor, announced Tuesday that he would resign his seat in Parliament after 11 years, according to The Manila Times. Starmer had led Labour to a sweeping victory in the 2024 election but saw the party's popularity erode, according to The Globe and Mail. Starmer stepped down as PM in July after relentless pressure from Labour MPs, as reported by The Globe and Mail.
Burnham's relaxed, almost folksy approach differs sharply from Mr. Starmer's, who often came across as lawyerly and stiff, according to The Globe and Mail. The new style has also helped Burnham breathe new life into Labour, the report added.