Burnham’s First 24 Hours as Prime Minister 

Ella Rose, Associate Director 
21/07/2026

Andy Burnham’s speech in Downing Street had been both long planned and rushed. Long planned as this was his third attempt to become Leader of the Labour Party. Rushed as the dominos fell rather quicker than expected. Despite this, it was a slick speech, without notes or autocue, and well-received by those standing on the street, clapping in the seventh Prime Minister in ten years.

There are three notable policy and political changes being set:

1.     Burnham’s speech marked a decidedly different Prime Ministerial style. Whereas Starmer was criticised for his managerial style, letting Cabinet members argue it out and present him with a solution, Burnham is setting a political direction from the top, vowing to end rough sleeping. He has been criticised for not achieving this as Mayor of Greater Manchester, but now has all the levers available at his disposal to make it happen. The housing sector will note that this is only rough sleeping, and not other types of more hidden homelessness.

2.     Healey’s appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer backs defence, and the increased need for spending. Who better to find the cash than the person who resigned to make it happen.

3.     There is an immediate and notable focus on the cost of living and making life easier for people across the country. There has been a large promotion of the talented 2024 intake, including Burnham policy guru Miatta Fahnbulleh rising to Energy Secretary. Given her role in drafting Burnham’s first 100 days of policy choices, it is not surprising that his first big announcement was on energy prices. The government, still constrained by the current fiscal rules, will need to look to business and civil society for policies that support cutting the cost of living.

Finishing late into the night, Burnham’s first Cabinet reshuffle was a long, drawn-out affair. He ends on a 27-person almost gender balanced Cabinet, although the Great Offices of State are predominantly male. Whilst all Starmer allies other than Bridget Phillipson were sacked (and she herself was demoted), it is still a broad Cabinet in its breadth of the Labour tradition. The only thing that truly unites the Great Offices of State is their insistence that the previous Prime Minister steps down.

There are some returns to previous roles that should stabilise the government and ensure quick delivery. Angela Rayner to the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government. Pat McFadden retaining his role at the Department for Work and Pensions, and Shabana Mahmood staying at the Home Office. Jonathan Reynolds back to a beefed-up Department of Business and Trade. Emma Reynolds back to Treasury, albeit in a different role. Burnham will hope this stabilises the markets.

In addition to the new Energy Secretary, another impressive 2024 intake, Kanishka Narayan, had overseen AI policy as a junior minister, is now AI minister. A role that will report to both the Cabinet Office and DBIST and involve attending Cabinet meetings - a step up from his previous job, and much welcome within the sector. A small consolation for a sector reeling from its department being disbanded so soon after it being set up.

Perhaps the most surprising was John Healey’s move to Chancellor. With much of the Labour Party and media fighting between Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood, one can view the appointment as Burnham’s Goldilocks. Ed was too left, Shabana too right. John is just right, and a well-respected Labour Party operator and, until recently, loyalist.

Ed Miliband was certainly not the Miliband brother expected as Foreign Secretary. With no longstanding foreign policy background (not unlike his new defence counterpart, Wes Streeting), perhaps this was the closest Burnham could get to a square peg in a square hole.

Other notable appointments include Lucy Powell as Education Secretary, a role she shadowed under Jeremy Corbyn and as expected, Louise Haigh as Chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster (CDL) Cabinet Office. Her elevation to First Secretary of State will no doubt disappoint Lucy Powell, who was expecting to be Deputy Prime Minister, a role that Burnham has not opted for.

It’s a Cabinet of all the talents, and almost all the Northwest MPs. They have much to do, but certainly the drive to succeed. The one thing that the Labour Party is totally united on is that they cannot change Leader again.