Key facts
- Rachel Reeves has advised Andy Burnham to be prepared for "shocks and challenges" upon entering Downing Street.
- Burnham is on track to become Labour leader on July 17 and Prime Minister on July 20.
- Burnham's vision includes a significant rebalancing of power and a new No. 10 North hub.
- Reeves believes Burnham will inherit stronger economic foundations than she and Starmer did.
- Louise Haigh indicated Burnham has been planning for leadership succession for at least a year.
Rachel Reeves has urged Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to become the next Labour leader and Prime Minister, to be prepared for immediate "shocks and challenges" upon entering Downing Street. She stressed the importance of having a "worked through plan" to govern effectively in Britain.
Burnham is expected to secure the leadership on July 17, with his appointment as Prime Minister following on July 20, having secured the backing of 322 out of 403 Labour MPs. He has begun outlining his vision for a significant "rebalancing of power" across the UK, including the establishment of a "No. 10 North hub" to decentralize authority from Whitehall.
Reeves acknowledged the public's impatience for change and the need for tangible improvements in people's lives. She expressed confidence that Burnham would inherit a stronger economic foundation than she and Keir Starmer did when they took office two years ago. Reeves also shared a personal reflection on a difficult moment in her political career, recalling crying during a Prime Minister's Questions session.
Louise Haigh, a key ally of Burnham, indicated that he has been preparing for a leadership bid for at least a year, with Labour's recent electoral setbacks clarifying the path forward. She suggested it was evident that the party "couldn't continue the way it was continuing."