Burnham rules out early election and refuses to commit to date on boosting defence spending to 3% of GDP – even though his Chancellor quit over Starmer’s dithering

Andy Burnham has ruled out an early general election as he insisted he would stick to Labour‘s manifesto.

In his first interview from Number 10 North, the new Prime Minister said that he had the support of his colleagues in Parliament.

But asked whether he would give the UK electorate of 48million a say, he said that the public did not want to go to the polls.

Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg, in his first major media interview since becoming PM, he said: ‘There is no general election and the thing I would say to you is 20 plus – however many million people you just mentioned – voted for a manifesto.

‘We’re in a parliamentary democracy so that is what people voted for and I will honour that manifesto.

‘And obviously I have faced the public in Makerfield. At the time, I stood forward in the by-election people said: “Oh my goodness, that constituency voted Reform in May – that’s a risk”.

‘I went and faced the public – I went out on to those doorsteps. So I have done that. I’ve got the support of colleagues in Parliament and it’s a parliamentary democracy that we’re in.’

Asked if he would rule it out, he said: ‘I’m going to rule it out, yeah. There’s no early general election. I don’t think people want it.

On the wall of Burnham’s office at No 10 North is a framed gold disc for The Queen Is Dead by Manchester indie rock band The Smiths 

‘Well, the opinion polls say some people do, some people don’t. But the thing is, I just think what I most need to do is get Britain focused on getting the country back where it should be, getting it working.’

Mr Burnham is facing calls for a general election from Reform UK after he took power from Sir Keir Starmer in a bloodless coup.

The new PM has experienced a bounce in the polls and opposition parties have speculated that he will seek a new mandate this autumn or next year.

But sources close to him have ruled out a general election in 2027. One must be held by 2029.

A fresh mandate would give him the power to deliver a more ambitious policy platform and buy him five years rather than three.

But it is a huge risk as Reform is still riding high in the polls and is level pegging with Labour despite a bounce since Mr Burnham took over.

He has insisted he will abide by the party’s manifesto and stick to the fiscal rules though has already made several commitments that do not appear to be fully funded.

This means that he will be unable to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT as set out by Sir Keir’s government.

The new PM has announced that he will end rough sleeping – a £340m pledge over five years that he said would come from ‘uncommitted’ budgets in the housing department.

He also said he would cut VAT on electricity bills by using money from the digital ID scheme that he said he would scrap – though former ministers pointed out that this was unfunded.

He also lowered the cap on bus fares in England from £3 to £2 at a cost of £500m using a complicated method of borrowing.

Funding for his cut to business rates for pubs – which will cost the Treasury £100m a year – is yet to be announced.

Claims that his new Number 10 North base would not cost taxpayers additional money have been questioned.

A survey by Public First this month found that 51 per cent of the public believed that Mr Burnham should ‘call and try to win an election to give his government legitimacy‘, versus 34 per cent who believed he did not need to.