Andy Burnham is set to outline six key policies when he becomes Prime Minister on Monday, succeeding Sir Keir Starmer after the current PM's resignation to King Charles III in the morning. The former Greater Manchester Mayor, who became MP for Makerfield last month following a byelection victory, will address the nation after entering Number 10 Downing Street.
Planned Policies
According to reports, Mr Burnham will announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, potentially breaking from Labour's 2024 manifesto. He also intends to lower bus fares, possibly by reinstating the £2 bus cap, and bring water and energy companies under public control. Other measures include reducing energy bills through VAT cuts or moving older wind and solar farms onto fixed-price contracts, launching the biggest council house-building programme since the post-war era, and pursuing social care reform through cross-party consensus.
North Sea Drilling Controversy
The North Sea drilling plans focus on two sites, Rosebank and Jackdaw, off Scotland's north-eastern coast. Energy secretary Ed Miliband, a Burnham ally tipped for a senior cabinet role, has previously described the Rosebank licence as “climate vandalism.” Former energy secretary Claire Coutinho, now shadow energy secretary, admitted in 2023 that new licences “wouldn’t necessarily bring energy bills down” but argued they would improve supply security.
Symbolic Shift to Manchester
Mr Burnham will spend the later part of next week at the new No 10 North in Manchester, symbolising his shift away from Westminster. His team declined to comment on the details of any proposals on Saturday.
