Andy Burnham has declared himself ready to “beat Britain’s new right” with a fresh, united approach as he becomes the leader of the British Labour Party before taking over as British prime minister on Monday.
The former mayor of Greater Manchester won the overwhelming support of MPs, trade unions and party branches, making him the only choice to take over from Keir Starmer.
At a special party conference at Trade Union Congress headquarters in London on Friday, Burnham was declared leader by Shabana Mahmood, the front-runner to be his chancellor, who is also chair of the party’s ruling executive.
Addressing a room of senior Labour politicians and supporters, Burnham said the country was “crying out for a new politics”. But he also warned that it was Labour’s “last chance to change” and the party must do so together, as a united movement.
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“This is a proud moment you have given me and my family, and an emotional one,” he said. “It is one for which I am ready – ready to lead and to build on the foundation laid by one person more than any other. Under Keir Starmer’s leadership we went from our worst defeat to one of the best victories in history.”
He said Labour was now united, “and we put the power that comes from that unity at the service of people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to bring them hope again”.
Despite praising Starmer, Burnham sought to draw a line under the past by asking whether Labour has “been good enough”, and pledging to “do better”.
“First, I will work relentlessly to build a culture of one Labour team, because change starts with us,” he said. “We won’t beat Britain’s new right if we are consumed by infighting and pulling in different directions. That is an indulgence.”
Although he has not yet set out detailed policies, Burnham said the broad areas where he wanted to focus were handing power to communities, being a pro-business leader, and building more social and council housing.
Burnham is expected to take over as prime minister on Monday after Starmer goes to Buckingham Palace to start the handover process.
Burnham will then give a speech outside Downing Street and appoint his cabinet in the afternoon, although he claimed on Friday not to have decided who will be in his top team yet.
The new leader said he would set out a distinctive direction for Labour, while seeking to work with other parties. He rejected the idea of “wearing too many Tory clothes” or seeking to out-Reform Reform, or out-green the Greens.
“I want people to understand the thinking behind the political direction I set,” he said, as he made the case that too much power was centralised in Westminster or handed to private companies.
Addressing criticism that he has been too focused on the north, given his mayoral role, Burnham said he would be a leader for the north, south, east, west, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“This is a moment to speak for all parts of the country and unite people in a common cause,” he said. “I love every part of the country, all of the accents and different traditions and some of the football clubs. But I also feel they can be more than they are.”
He promised to “take power back from Westminster and Whitehall and give it back to the place where you live”.
He also paid tribute to some of his heroes in the Labour Party, thanking David Blunkett and Neil Kinnock for supporting his career and inspiring his political path. – Guardian
[ Mark Paul: Burnham's pledge to boost England's north has a familiar ringOpens in new window ]
