Andy Burnham is finalising his cabinet appointments this weekend as he prepares to officially take over as the United Kingdom's Prime Minister on Monday.
Asked why he had not announced his top team, the new Labour leader, who recently returned to Parliament following a by-election victory in Makerfield, said: "It would be somewhat premature and would, I think, cause complete chaos if you start half a reshuffle before you're in the position." He confirmed that he is currently finalising his decisions and expects to reach conclusions very shortly before making a formal announcement on Monday.
Despite the lack of official announcements, intense speculation surrounds the key positions. Who is the frontrunner to be the UK's next chancellor? Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood are widely rumoured to be the leading contenders to replace Rachel Reeves. Burnham has promised that his cabinet appointments will reflect "all parts of our party" and "all communities" to foster unity.
Burnham's transition to Downing Street follows his official endorsement earlier this week, where he secured the backing of 379 Labour MPs and all 11 trade unions affiliated with the party. On Monday, he will meet with King Charles III for a formal reception before officially assuming the premiership. This rapid ascent marks a significant comeback for the former mayor of Greater Manchester, who ran twice previously for the party leadership. His return to Westminster was secured just a month ago in a crucial by-election.
His predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, resigned last month after acknowledging he was no longer the best person to lead Labour into the upcoming general election. Starmer had faced intense pressure to step aside from his own MPs following heavy losses in May's local elections, a crisis that intensified after Burnham's victory in Makerfield. Despite the leadership transition, Burnham paid tribute to Starmer, praising his achievements in government, which included reducing NHS waiting lists, improving rights for workers and renters, and bringing the railway system back under public ownership.
Delivering his first speech as Labour leader at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) headquarters in central London, Burnham laid out a vision focused on regional devolution and economic renewal. He pledged to restore "hope back" to working-class communities that he argued had been abandoned by the political establishment. Burnham vowed to reject the "neoliberal" policies of the last 40 years—including those implemented during his own previous time in government—and promised to reindustrialise the nation.
Addressing internal party dynamics, Burnham urged Labour MPs to unite under a single banner. "We won't beat Britain's new right if we are consumed by infighting and pulling in different directions," he warned, promising to work tirelessly to establish "one Labour team" focused on "problem-solving rather than point-scoring." Asserting his readiness, he declared, "I have a plan."
While the speech was light on specific policy proposals, Burnham identified social care reform as an immediate priority, promising to "expend quite a lot of political capital" on the long-neglected sector. Because social care is a devolved matter, any reforms Burnham implements will only apply to England. Unlike the National Health Service (NHS), social care in England is not free at the point of use, often forcing individuals to sell their homes to cover the high costs of care.
Burnham has a long history of advocating for social care reform. During his tenure as health secretary under Gordon Brown, he published a white paper just weeks before the 2010 general election proposing a free-at-the-point-of-use National Care Service. The issue is also deeply personal for Burnham, who shared that his father has Alzheimer's disease. "My dad has Alzheimer's, and you see what the staff have to put up with. It's not their fault. The system's broken," Burnham said. He criticised the political establishment's historical inaction, stating, "You can't leave social care like this. And this is part of my criticism of Westminster. It has flinched over the years from these big decisions."
His political opponents have reacted swiftly to the impending leadership change. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticised Burnham's ascension, claiming the new leader "comes in with absolutely no mandate of any kind at all" and demanding "an immediate general election so the country can decide the future." This comes as Labour has trailed Reform UK in opinion polls for nearly 18 months.
From the opposition benches, Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake called on Burnham to immediately recall Parliament, which is currently in recess until September, to explain his agenda. Hollinrake argued, "It's not too late for Andy Burnham to do the right thing, make a statement, and answer questions from members of Parliament on Monday about his 'plan'."
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey took a more cooperative stance, welcoming Burnham's appeal for collaborative politics and stating, "my door is open." He said the Lib Dems would particularly want to see changes to the water industry, support for the NHS and changes to social care, including more help for family carers. Additionally, Linda Hobson of the Unison trade union emphasized the high stakes, stating that Burnham "must get this right and bring back the hope he promises."
