New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has broken his silence on calls for a snap general election, firmly ruling out the possibility as he takes office. The Labour leader succeeded Sir Keir Starmer on Monday, becoming the nation's leader after Starmer resigned to King Charles III.
Burnham rejects snap election calls
Speaking to broadcasters before formally entering office, Burnham, the former Greater Manchester Mayor, addressed demands from some quarters to call an early election to strengthen his mandate. He stated: "We're in a parliamentary democracy, and as we've seen through time if somebody can command the majority of the MPs in the House of Commons obviously they then have the legitimacy to lead things forward."
The Makerfield MP confirmed he will adhere to Labour's 2024 general election manifesto, which he said "talked about change." He added: "I will be bold and I will be true to what [the manifesto] says, but there are big changes that I can implement coming from that manifesto."
Nervous but ready for the role
Burnham admitted to feeling nervous about stepping into the role, saying: "It's obviously a big thing, to step up in this way, but I think you've got to have a degree of [nervousness]. If you weren't, you wouldn't be human." However, he emphasized his extensive political experience, particularly as Mayor of Greater Manchester, stating: "I do bring a lot of experience to this, particularly from the ground up as mayor of Greater Manchester. I think that will make a difference in the way that I go about this role."
He concluded: "So, of course the nerves are there, but I'm also confident in what I'm doing, in what I'm about, and as I say, I am ready."
