Andy Burnham guidelines out calling snap General Election and can plough on with Labour’s manifesto
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out a snap General Election, and said the government “needed to focus on making the country work” instead, claiming going to the polls would “postpone” that work
Andy Burnham during a meeting at No 10 North, in Manchester, on Friday(Image: Christopher Furlong/Pool Getty v)
Andy Burnham has shut down the idea of calling a snap election just days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister.
Mr Burnham said he would push forward with Labour’s election winning 2024 manifesto, while opening a new headquarters for the centre of Government in Manchester, dubbed the Number 10 North. The former Mayor of Manchester has become the seventh British Prime Minister in 10 years but has said no to another General Election anytime soon.
When asked if he was considering calling a snap election for the country, Mr Burnham said: “No I’m not. I don’t think that is right.”
The new Prime Minister said the government’s focus is currently on “making the country work”.
The PM told the Manchester Evening News: “We live in a parliamentary democracy. There was a manifesto in 2024. I’m sticking to that manifesto. I’m bringing forward my version but it is still within that manifesto. I just think that we need to focus on making the country work.
“That is the biggest priority right now. A general election would postpone that essential work. I’m also trying to do politics differently, as I did when I was mayor of Greater Manchester.”
On Friday, Mr Burnham opened the No 10 North at Heron House in the centre of Manchester, where he is expected to work once a week during his premiership.
The Labour Party leader said his move to have a base in the north was about “rebalancing power in the country”.
Mr Burnham was joined at the opening by Chancellor John Healey, First Secretary of State Louise Haigh, and the country’s top civil servant, Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo.
He later held a meeting with local leaders, including English regional mayors like Liverpool’s Steve Rotheram and Greater Lincolnshire’s Andrea Jenkyns. Mr Burnham argued the new northern headquarters would help save money.
The Prime Minister said: “Is it a gimmick? Well, the fact that I was there today with the Chancellor, the cabinet secretary, the First Secretary of State, the Transport Secretary – a large part of the government was there in Manchester with me today.
“And the fact of us being there, taking decisions there, just means that we’re rebalancing power in the country aren’t we? And the benefits that will fall to Manchester are massive. But it’s about No 10 North taking power out of Whitehall and putting it into all parts of the country. That’s its job.”
Mr Burnham also revealed his feelings towards his new role saying: “I love the job”. The Prime Minister said: “You can’t ever prepare for it because you can’t ever know what it’s like until you do it, but… I’m getting used to it very quickly because you have to. So I’m in at the deep end, but I’ve started swimming and I’ve enjoyed it so far.”
