Andy Burnham Installed as UK Prime Minister

Andy Burnham was officially installed as the UK's prime minister on July 20 after receiving backing from 349 out of 403 Labour MPs, making it mathematically impossible for any other candidate to challenge him. He succeeds Keir Starmer as both party leader and prime minister.

The new prime minister faces significant challenges upon taking office, including a deepening crisis of child poverty and concerns about political corruption. According to multiple reports, millions of children in England and Wales leave school for the summer holidays with 'nothing' to do, emphasizing an urgent need for action on this issue. Additionally, projections show current record levels of homelessness rising by 25% to more than 230,000 people by 2030 without bold intervention.

Burnham's devolution promises have met with skepticism from Celtic administrations in Cardiff and Edinburgh. A senior Scottish government source told The Guardian, 'If Burnham thinks Manchester is the north, I’ve got a map to show him.' Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts added that Labour’s 100-year dominance in Wales ended due to its muscular unionism.

Burnham has outlined his policy aims, including the creation of a 'No. 10 North' in Manchester to devolve power from London to the country's regions. This idea has been nicknamed 'Manc-A-Lago' by Westminster wags, according to CNBC. David Miliband voiced support for Burnham's ideas on devolution and electoral reform, warning about the challenge of unchecked power and democratic backsliding.

A cross-party group of MPs has told prime minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham he should allow councils to increase council tax by as much as they want. The recommendation comes as part of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on local government's report, seen by Sky News, into how fiscal devolution is vital to delivering economic growth.

Burnham has promised a more collegiate approach and encouraged MPs to raise problems and policy ideas 'without fear or favour'. As he prepares to take office, Burnham is expected to keep everyone guessing about his cabinet appointments. He aims to avoid Liz Truss's fate by focusing on reindustrialization rather than tax cuts, proposing a state-led strategy involving public investment through a national investment bank.

Burnham is also standing firm on immigration reform despite demands from left-wing Labour MPs to ditch Shabana Mahmood's tough proposals. Allies say he understands the importance of controlling immigration and won't back down. Nearly 80 backbenchers sent him a letter demanding he change course, but Burnham remains committed to Mahmood’s proposal to make migrants wait twice as long before they can settle permanently in Britain.

Burnham's plan includes addressing the loss of technical knowhow in manufacturing and investing in skills and technical training, with unions playing a key role. The article warns that Burnham may face backlash from financial markets but suggests ways to mitigate this, such as broadening the Bank of England's mandate and using targeted controls to protect the manufacturing sector.

According to Carbon Brief, Andy Burnham has remained tight-lipped on his views on climate change during his leadership campaign. However, a trawl of Burnham’s past comments reveals strong support for climate action. Just a year ago, he gave his support to the fossil fuel treaty and called it a “lifeline” that “all governments” should join. He also stated that “there should be no turning away from net-zero.”

An exclusive Mail on Sunday poll found that 47% of people think Burnham should call an election to legitimise his agenda, while 31% disagree. The polling by Find Out Now also shows that only 18% of voters think Burnham should repair the public finances by increasing taxes, while 55% say he should cut public spending instead.

The expected announcement on North Sea drilling would be part of a raft of new policy measures, including public control of water and energy companies, a fresh council house-building programme, cuts to energy bills and bus fares, and reform of social care - which would have to be paid for through wealth or death taxes.

Burnham vowed in his coronation speech on Friday to build a 'new politics' and 'take back power from Westminster' on the grounds that Britain had taken a series of 'wrong turns in the 1980s' under Margaret Thatcher. However, Labour MPs worry that he will struggle to force through reforms without getting the explicit backing of voters.

One MP said: 'He hasn't got a mandate. The pressure will come on him to go for an early election - not straight away, but next year.'