By lunchtime today, the UK will have its fifth prime minister in four years. No other sentence can so pithily summarise the nature of British politics right now than that one. In the summer of 2022, Boris Johnson was on his way out, but still in office. Since then, we’ve seen Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, and Sir Keir Starmer. It’s no wonder Andy Burnham will later say he’s “acutely conscious” of arriving in Downing Street, just as Sir Keir Starmer did 746 days ago on another sunny July day, just two years back. That trend of unstable governments is exactly what Burnham is trying to buck.
He’s determined to hit the ground running and, wherever possible, maintain the leadership style he adopted as the mayor of Greater Manchester. Now, let me tell you, the traditional rules of the House of Commons and meetings with the King will likely mean he’ll be wearing a suit more often than he has in recent years. But I hear he might ditch some other conventions intentionally. For instance, word on the street is he may not even bother with a lectern for his first speech as prime minister outside 10 Downing Street on Monday. How about that!
Also, he’s reportedly keen on holding question and answer sessions with voters across the nation, something he’s dubbed “People’s Question Time,” as one ally put it. Before Burnham’s big moment arrives, Sir Keir Starmer will have his country retreat in Buckinghamshire, where he’ll give a brief address—yes, with a lectern—before heading to see the King to officially stand down as prime minister. I expect he’ll want to highlight what he considers his achievements, both domestically and internationally. His team is particularly proud of reducing immigration and NHS waiting lists in England, lifting children out of poverty, and even introducing a social media ban for teenagers.
A modest gathering of staff and supporters will see him off, and of course, there will be some overlap between the supporters of the outgoing prime minister and those backing his successor. But, as you might expect, some folks will be there for one and not the other.
As the afternoon rolls in, we’re gonna hear news about the new cabinet appointments, including, rumor has it, a minister focused on artificial intelligence. Yeah, that’s right! All eyes will be on who lands the big gigs—chancellor, home secretary, and foreign secretary. Names like Shabana Mahmood, Wes Streeting, Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, and Lucy Powell are being tossed around—what roles will they get, and what do these appointments say about how Burnham intends to run things? We’re about to find out!
In the coming hours, we’ll also start to get a glimpse of what Burnham’s new office in Manchester looks like. The turnover in prime ministers has made this situation no longer novel, but it’s still significant, given how frequently it’s happening. What we learn in the next few hours could heavily influence how the UK is governed in the weeks, months, and years to come.
What questions do you have about the new PM? Will Burnham promise “more breathing room” in his first speech as PM? Is he a ruthless plotter? A flip-flopper? A dad dancer? Insiders are spilling the beans on the real Andy Burnham. Is he ushering in a new era for North Sea oil and gas? Stay tuned!
Kaynak: Orijinal Haber