Politics Home Article | Burnham Says It Is Labour’s Last Chance As He Is Crowned Leader

Andy Burnham speaks after being confirmed as the Labour Party’s new leader (Alamy)

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At a special party conference in central London, Burnham said: “I will work to build a new politics. The country is crying out for it. We might enjoy the point scoring against others. The public don’t.”

“How can politicians point fingers when living standards are falling and politics as a whole isn’t working for them? It infuriates them and makes them switch off.”

He added: “Let’s be honest, everybody: this is a last chance to change, and we must take it together, united together.”

After two previous attempts to become Labour leader in 2010 and then 2015, he became Labour leader unopposed after winning nominations from 369 of the party’s 403 MPs. However, he will not become Prime Minister until Monday. 

The MP for Makerfield returned to Westminster last month after a by-election victory which led to Keir Starmer’s resignation just days later.

Burnham paid tribute to Keir Starmer for transforming the party after the crushing 2019 general election and said he “put Labour back in a position to change people’s lives”.

The new Labour leader said the only way to beat the “new right” is to end factional in-fighting.

“Fighting to eradicate it and the insidious briefing culture that goes along with it will characterise my leadership,” he promised. 

“In future, when a Burnhamite walks into a bar,” he said, joking about a well-worn Westminster gag, that they will say: “Great to see you. We don’t like factional politics here.”

Burnham promised to set an “authentically” clear direction for the party, accusing his Labour predecessors of being too much like the Conservatives.

He said: “As your leader, I will set a direction that is distinctively Labour. We won’t try to out-Green the Greens or out-Reform Reform or doing what we’ve done in the past of wearing too many Tory clothes. Let me tell you, I’m quite happy that Kemi doesn’t approve of my wardrobe choices because I’m not keen on theirs either.

“From here we do it differently. We win by being us, boldly, confidently, authentically us. Labour. That’s how we win. I want people to understand the thinking behind the political direction I set so people can see the decisions we take and the reasons why.”

With mounting speculation about who will be in his Cabinet and who will be Chancellor, the Labour leader says he has made no decisions yet. 

“When I have you will see that it reflects all parts of our party, all communities and it will reflect your own place within this great place within this great party of ours,” he said. 

“A stronger, more united Labour Party building up a stronger and more united Britain.”

Burnham pledged to “help places that built our party” and accused Margaret Thatcher of stripping power from Labour’s heartlands in the 1980s. 

“Change starts with honesty. We must recognise that this generation of politicians, myself included, have failed to challenge a political culture and an economic model that simply doesn’t work well enough for ordinary people.

“Four decades of the neoliberalism that begun in the 1980s have not been kind to the places that built our party, nor to the communities across the UK, nor to the communities across the UK in rural and coastal areas.”

Burnham pledged to be a “pro-business” leader and to “re-industrialise” as he set out his vision for Britain.

“We want to give your area more power to build the council and social homes that you desperately need, more power to improve your high street, backing local businesses such as the pubs and the shops that bring them to life. 

“And make no mistake, everybody, I will be a pro-business leader of the Labour Party as I was a pro-business mayor of Greater Manchester… and as part of that more power to re-industrialise.”

Burnham has promised to be a leader for “all places” of the UK as he laid out his devolution agenda.

“We will take power back from Westminster and Whitehall and give it to the place where you live. More power over life’s essentials so you can make them work better, and more affordable for people.”

The new Labour leader said he had made mistakes throughout his political career, but promised to give this new job “his all”.

“I haven’t got everything right, and I’m sorry for when I’ve fallen short. But I’ve always given it my all and I always will.”

He added: “I won’t change. I have a style, it’s my style, I will always stay close to the ground. Close to the people. Hopefully, still in my season ticket when the new season starts.”