A fast start is needed for Andy Burnham if he is to succeed as PM
The resignation of Sir Keir Starmer raises many questions that go beyond the internal power dynamics of the Labour party. While the past decade has seen a historic churn of Tory Prime Ministers in modern day politics, with five leaders occupying 10 Downing Street over the past decade, Starmer’s departure raises serious questions about political stability in Britain.
The idea of seven Prime Ministers in under a decade is deeply concerning and it is fair to wonder if Britain is becoming ungovernable. It suggests that the electorate’s expectations are impossible to manage. All the while, the challenges Britain faces keep piling up.
This isn’t just about Starmer vacating Downing Street, it’s the upheaval that comes with his departure, scores of people will leave government.
Former health secretary Wes Streeting backing for Andy Burnham means that it is likely to be a coronation for the so-called King of the North.
However, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester needs to realise quickly that he is about to enter stormy seas with little time to get his bearings.
If it is a coronation then the Labour party will have saved itself and the country a drawn out psychodrama, not too dissimilar to the one foisted upon the nation by the Tories in 2022.
A coronation, however, could prove to be Burnham’s undoing. The Opposition will hammer the question of legitimacy. It was Starmer who delivered Labour its majority and Burnham wasn’t even an MP until this week. That’s why he must fly out of the traps and set out his policy agenda for a restive electorate with little fiscal headroom to work with.