By GB News (Politics) | Created at 2026-06-22 13:26:32 | Updated at 2026-06-22 16:46:28
3 hours ago
As things stand, Andy Burnham is not an MP. I think it's right to remind GB News members of that.
He will be sworn in as the MP for Makerfield at 2.30pm today. And, unbelievably, he could be crowned Prime Minister in just three and a half weeks' time.
Voters will perhaps ask: "How can he possibly be ready for the biggest job in politics?"
If you look at what he's done in Manchester, which undoubtedly helped fuel his popularity, he's run a bus network and been in charge of the police.
It feels like an impossibly short amount of time for Mr Burnham to develop some of the policies he admitted he needed time for on the campaign trail in Makerfield.
And his team has also been suggesting he wants to wait a little longer before completing his march to No10.
However, Wes Streeting's decision to throw his weight behind Mr Burnham has accelerated that timeline.
Sir Keir Starmer's hopes of remaining in No10 until September appear increasingly unlikely.
Mr Streeting was the most serious challenger to Mr Burnham, a tried-and-tested political operator with support in Westminster.
You do have other Labour figures mulling over giving it a go. Al Carns might; Yvette Cooper could; perhaps Angela Rayner wants to.
Remarkably, Mr Burnham could become Labour leader and Prime Minister without ever winning a leadership election.
He came a distant fourth in 2010 and lost to Jeremy Corbyn in 2015.
But, if nobody else wants to before nominations close on July 16, we will have Mr Burnham as Prime Minister the following day.
And we mustn't forget that Mr Burnham didn't stand on the 2024 Labour manifesto – committing the Government to staying out of Europe and not hiking taxes on working people.
Sir Keir will get to attend the Nato summit.
Mr Burnham could, however, make his debut appearance on the world stage soon after.
He could become Prime Minister in time for the UK's crunch reset negotiations with the EU.
And, remember, he was talking about wanting to rejoin the Brussels bloc in his lifetime less than a year ago.
But there's a wider issue about legitimacy here.
Home Office Minister Mike Tapp and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage have both argued only a general election will solve that issue.
Mr Burnham was elected with 25,000 votes in Makerfield and 420,000 votes as Greater Manchester Mayor.
But a Prime Minister, when elected at a general election, needs to make a pitch to the whole country.
Mr Burnham has certainly made his pitch to the people of Ashton-in-Makerfield, Atherton and Altrincham.
However, from Antrim to Arundel, Aberystwyth to Arbroath, and Ashford to Aycliffe, voters haven't heard a peep.
Millions of Britons will want to ask what Mr Burnham means for them, but instead he looks set to be imposed upon them.
