Great Britain with a new prime minister

2026-07-20 08:45:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The next British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, aims to strengthen the economy throughout the country, so he does not want to govern only from London and for London.

Andy Burnham has been putting forward one idea repeatedly in recent weeks - it is his vision for moving the UK forward and generating economic growth. The regions should be empowered, with more powers for local administrations, particularly in urban and metropolitan areas.

Burnham formulated this idea in a clear and attractive way, saying that he would move part of the Downing Street administration to Manchester. A No. 10 Downing Street in the north of England – this has never happened before. He himself will not be there permanently, but will work regularly from Manchester.

He wants to boost economic growth in all regions. "In Manchester I have shown how we can create economic growth," he told LBC radio.

The United Kingdom is highly centralized

Great Britain is extremely centralized. When a major investment is planned in a region, local politicians have to seek financial support from London. Now Burnham is winning supporters with such a measured and pragmatic vision, which is more related to the theory of state organization than to political slogans. Perhaps also because he sounds like an ordinary man and is able to be self-critical.

In an interview, he said that his generation of politicians has failed in many areas. According to him, the country is not where it should be. Britain needs to get back on its feet. This is exactly what many people feel. Burnham promises a lot, but expectations from him are also high.

Starmer's rapid decline as a warning

Keir Starmer experienced firsthand how quickly the mood of the British electorate can change. In 2024 he delivered a stunning victory for Labour, but just two years later defeat in regional and local elections forced him out of office. People expected a lot from Starmer too, but reform – and this is likely to be Burnham’s biggest challenge – takes time.

Burnham is perceived as a man close to the citizens, like the polite neighbor next door. Quite different from Keir Starmer, who has always been a lawyer and was often considered "posh" - that is, elegant, privileged and from a wealthy family, even though his father was a craftsman.

Interestingly, Burnham also built a career that could be described as part of the political establishment. After his studies, he started working in the office of an MP in Westminster. At the age of 31, he was elected to Parliament himself and later became a minister.

Successes in Manchester make him credible

Burnham has been mayor of Manchester since 2017 – having previously failed to win the Labour leadership race. This time he succeeded. He has now been elected party leader and is expected to be appointed prime minister on Monday. His experience in Manchester and the history of regional development that he represents so convincingly seem to have played a crucial role in this success. Maurice Lange, an analyst at the Centre for Cities think tank, says: “This is a political message, because many people outside London feel excluded from decisions made in the capital.” The idea of ??more decisions being made at the regional level is something that many people can rally around.

Maurice Lange believes that deeper federalization – that is, the transfer of more power and competences to the regions – is essential for economic growth in Great Britain. And economic growth is precisely what Great Britain needs most at the moment. /DW