Burnham Bets a Trump-Style Show Buys Time to Fix the Hard Stuff

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomePMN BusinessBurnham Bets a Trump-Style Show Buys Time to Fix the Hard StuffAndy Burnham’s first two weeks as prime minister brought a policy blitz that covered everything from social care to devolution and the cost-of-living. Inside Downing Street, his aides are candid that the announcements were as much about the politics as the policies.Author of the article:Alex Wickham, Chloe Chaplain and Lucy White You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.u}[8(acw6vfzhm]b5)pxhfi7_media_dl_2.png We Think (Omnisis), Survation,(Bloomberg) — Andy Burnham’s first two weeks as prime minister brought a policy blitz that covered everything from social care to devolution and the cost-of-living. Inside Downing Street, his aides are candid that the announcements were as much about the politics as the policies.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountPeople around the new premier readily accept that little of what he’s announced since taking office will immediately be life-changing for most Britons.The specifics of reforms to England’s crisis-hit social care system are a year away at least. A tax cut on energy bills will be swallowed up by rising prices in the winter. Stronger language in favor of North Sea fossil fuel drilling disguises what is likely a continuation of existing plans. Mooted welfare reforms and defense policy are works in progress.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againAccording to close allies, the announcements are instead designed to showcase that in Burnham, the governing Labour Party now has an energetic, surefooted leader whose personal communication style can convince voters he’s on their side. In other words, that he’s the antithesis of his technocratic predecessor, Keir Starmer.The prime minister hopes that first impression will buy him some time to work out the detail of major policy questions he’ll have to answer at a budget now scheduled for Oct. 31 this year, the people said. Downing Street declined to comment. The people familiar with Burnham’s plans pointed to a public-opinion bounce for Labour since he took office, closing the gap with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in Bloomberg’s composite poll, as evidence it’s working.The approach has some unlikely inspiration. Burnham sees merits in certain aspects of the style of President Donald Trump — especially his ability to dominate the daily news agenda through the force of his personality — according to close allies, who like others interviewed for this story requested anonymity when recounting private conversations. Burnham’s announcements in his first days in office emulated Trump’s cascade of executive orders at the beginning of his second term. His tendency to publicly air ideas that haven’t yet become fully-formed policies, setting off a wave of headlines, is reminiscent of the president too.It’s also been evident in Burnham’s combative response to media stories he disagrees with and, as some supporters put it, an effort to be less “woke” on subject matters important to working class Britons, from immigration to energy.One Burnham ally suggests the main difference between him and Starmer is that the new prime minister lives and breathes politics 24/7, where his predecessor, who only entered Parliament in 2015, was not perceived as a political animal. This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Another person close to the new premier says he checks into the political conversation on social media throughout the day — another Trump trait that sets him apart from previous British prime ministers — and that every decision he makes is rooted in what will win votes for Labour. While that may be music to the ears of Labour MPs who badly wanted more political leadership, it isn’t convincing everyone in the party.Some supporters of Starmer warn that Burnham’s style risks slipping into boosterism or even left-wing populism, with a danger of leaving voters feeling let down if he cannot follow through on his rhetoric. The focus on “Andy” is almost presidential and at odds with his campaign pledge to lead a more inclusive government, one said. Burnham’s way of operating executively, which he became used to as mayor of Greater Manchester, will have to change as he becomes the leader of a cabinet and the wider Parliamentary Labour Party, who all want a say in how they are governed.Downing Street is aware of the risks of that perception: next week cabinet ministers will take the lead on a series of interventions in a bid to avoid suggestions Burnham’s administration is a one-man band.Several Labour MPs said they interpreted his early announcements as a signal of what’s to come, welcoming the early momentum but tempering their optimism with the caution that he now had to follow through.Also attracting attention is the question of whether Burnham might be tempted to seek an early election, as soon as later this year. Some around the premier argue internally that he should not wait until 2029, when the next general election is due. They say a vote within Burnham’s first year in office would capitalize on his early popularity and the opposition parties’ disarray, giving him a mandate for major policy changes in areas like social care. Waiting, they argue, runs the risk of events getting in the way and his popularity waning.A person close to Reform said the party had become increasingly concerned Burnham might call an election this year to take advantage of the recent decline in Farage’s fortunes triggered by media revelations about the party’s finances.They expressed concerns the right-wing party wouldn’t be ready and had yet to create policy in key areas like foreign affairs, defense and education. As a result it is rapidly drawing up a skeleton manifesto, according to people familiar with the matter and, to speed up candidate selection, is running assessment centers over the summer. A Reform spokesman did not immediately respond to a request to comment. Still, Burnham is adamant there won’t be an early election and said this week one isn’t “on the horizon.” Among Labour MPs there is little appetite for a vote because, even with a poll bounce from current levels, many would lose the wafer-thin majorities that won them seats in 2024.Longer-term, some Labour strategists are wary of how Burnham might approach a vote. They note that he’s been fortunate that Reform and the Green Party encountered difficulties just as he became prime minister, making it easier for him to secure a poll bounce. But they cautioned that if his policy promises end up requiring major tax rises — something he opened the door to this week, to pay for social care reform — that would give Reform and the Conservatives a clear campaign attack line.One Labour strategist said they thought the recent narrative about British politics fragmenting and becoming a multiparty system was overdone and that, while smaller parties often did well mid term, it is possible the Conservatives could become more of a force by the next election if the fringe parties continue to lose support.History suggests a traditional, Labour-versus-Conservative election runs the risk of becoming dominated by Tory warnings about tax rises, they said. That might be the ultimate test of Burnham’s personality and political nous.—With assistance from Ellen Milligan and Alex Morales.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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