20 July 2026

Andy Burnham assumes office as the United Kingdom's new prime minister today. The ex-mayor of Manchester, recently chosen to head the Labour Party, becomes the seventh leader in ten years. He takes over from Keir Starmer, who quit in June after prolonged pressure. Media commentators assess the tasks ahead for him.

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Columnist Bill Emmott outlines the hurdles Burnham must clear in La Stampa:

“When Andy Burnham is confirmed as prime minister by King Charles at Buckingham Palace today, he will already know three things. He knows that, to outshine his lacklustre predecessor Sir Keir Starmer, he must communicate masterfully and give the impression of having a clear plan for government, even if he has yet to put it together. He knows that he must no longer court Donald Trump, as this has now become toxic in British politics. And finally, he knows that his main opponent, Nigel Farage, is ready to pounce on any attempt he might make - however minimal - to bring Britain closer to Europe, even though polls show that public opinion is now significantly more pro-European.”

The Times offers measured optimism while stressing the need for discipline:

“Mr Burnham must do better than his largely ineffective predecessor. The Labour Party has some reason to feel reassured. Mr Burnham is an experienced, professional politician and assured public speaker. In that first speech as Labour leader he lavished his colleagues with the love, attention and sentimentalism they never got from Sir Keir. But he will need to lead Labour, not coddle it. That means hard decisions about the 800lb gorilla: spending. Mr Burnham does not like the party whip. But he will find himself having to crack it. Or fail.”

Burnham faces significant obstacles, according to The Irish Times:

“The challenges that brought down Keir Starmer remain: a budget unable to meet desperately needed demand in defence, housing, welfare, care for the aged, and training for the young. Burnham will be hamstrung by a commitment to abide by strict fiscal rules. His instinct may be to tack to the left, but he is already trying to prove that, like Starmer, whatever he told parliamentarians to secure the job, he will govern from the centre.”

Burnham's proposed wealth tax would prove misguided, argues The Daily Telegraph:

“One thing is certain: a wealth tax will not work. Ms Reeves's economic wrecking ball has already sent an unprecedented number of wealth creators fleeing to other countries. With them have gone jobs, tax revenue and much of the nation's entrepreneurial dynamism. Rather than clobbering such people again, Mr Burnham should focus on making Britain a more attractive place in which to invest or grow a company. Instead, he looks hell-bent on dragging the country back to its darkest post-war decade in some bizarre quest to prove that this time, his party's failed ideas will finally come good.”

Trud anticipates little shift in international policy under Andy Burnham:

“We can assume that he will largely continue to pursue the same line as Keir Starmer, particularly when it comes to supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia, the proactive stance on Nato and pragmatic relations with the EU. At the same time, observers in London expect it won't be long before Burnham and Donald Trump clash over US military bases on the island. The 'King of the North' is said to be determined that they be used for defensive purposes only, and never for attacks on another country, such as Iran. In Washington, for the time being at least, the view is very different.”