Burnham rules out calling an early general election in the next 12 months - but Farage claims 'retail Budget' makes him 'ever more convinced' PM will go to the polls next May

Published: 14:53 EDT, 28 October 2026 | Updated: 14:59 EDT, 28 October 2026 Andy Burnham today ruled out calling a snap general election in the next 12 months - despite the Budget fuelling speculation he could soon go to the polls.The Prime Minister insisted he was thinking 'about people' and not 'my own party and its prospects' in the wake of Chancellor John Healey setting out his economic plans.In his Budget statement to the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Healey pushed back tough decisions on defence and welfare spending.He also attempted to provide some relief to households from the cost of living crisis, which has been worsened by the Iran war.Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed the 'little giveaways' in the 'retail Budget' were 'aimed at an early general election', which he predicted would come in May.But Mr Burnham, speaking on a visit to a community centre in central London, denied he would call an election in the next year. Andy Burnham ruled out calling a snap general election in the next 12 months - despite the Budget fuelling speculation he could soon go to the polls Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed the 'little giveaways' in the 'retail Budget' were 'aimed at an early general election', which he predicted would come in May.'I don't know how many times I've done this now, but yes, I can rule out calling a general election in the next 12 months,' the PM said.'I have said repeatedly since coming into this job, I'm not thinking about myself. I'm not thinking about my own party and its prospects.'I am thinking about people, and I'm thinking about what I can do to help them to have that care for people, which I spoke about on my first day in Downing Street.'Mr Burnham added that he was 'leading from the front' and 'putting Britain on a different path'.'We've got a 10-year plan to come, and that will inform the spending review next year,' he said.'These are my priorities, not looking at our own internal party political advantage.'Speculation about an early election has increased amid Labour's 'bounce' in opinion polls under Mr Burnham, while Reform has slumped amid a slew of controversies.It has been suggested that Mr Burnham will go to the country earlier than 2029 in order to consolidate his position since he ousted Keir Starmer as PM in July.Seeking his own mandate from voters would also allow Mr Burnham to axe Labour's 2024 manifesto and give him greater freedom to pursue his own agenda.The PM has recently floated a return to EU free movement rules as part of a new long-term relationship with Brussels. Mr Farage said Wednesday's Budget had made him 'ever more convinced' that the PM will call a general election for May next year.'Today's Budget was a retail Budget aimed at an early general election,' he told reporters at a press conference in Westminster.'I've been predicting this election since September 2024. I feel ever more convinced that it will - as I said all the way back then - come in May of next year.'And it will be economic realities, I thought then, that would force an early election.'Well, that perhaps combined with what we're seeing after 100 days of a Burnham Government - where, frankly, everything the PM does, everything the Chancellor did today - is aimed at lots of little giveaways.'The Reform leader added of Mr Healey's Budget: 'It doesn't overall do very much, but it attempts to please a very large number of people.' A Tory spokesman also appeared to suggest they thought a snap poll was coming.Referring to measures unveiled in the Budget, he said: 'When you look at the fact that the fuel duty has been extended to July, that the VAT cut on bills has been extended to July, one might ask what's happening in June.'