New PM Burnham begins with boldness and ambition for Britain

Andy Burnham begins his first full day as UK Prime Minister with a distinctly different approach from predecessor Keir Starmer. Within 24 hours, he has reshuffled Whitehall, removing nearly a dozen Starmer loyalists and appointing a Cabinet with a strong northern English voice, including five ministers from Greater Manchester. John Healey's appointment as Chancellor is seen as a signal of intent to NATO. Burnham split the Department of Science and Technology and elevated Kanishka Narayan for AI work. His first speech outlined a new political and economic model focused on problem-solving over point-scoring. Key early policies include a commitment to end rough sleeping and removing VAT from domestic energy bills from October, funded by scrapping the unpopular digital ID scheme. The article notes risks, including potential backbench discontent from ousted Starmer allies, and the challenge of balancing appeal to Green-leaning voters and those concerned about immigration while managing borrowing costs. Burnham's approach is described as reviving a Labour tradition of economic populism.