According to Louise Haigh, a prominent ally, Andy Burnham has spent at least twelve months mapping out his potential tenure as prime minister. Haigh, who previously served as transport secretary, has been instrumental in supporting Burnham’s transition efforts and his campaign for the Makerfield seat. She noted that his resolve solidified following Labour’s poor performance in the May elections, which signaled an urgent need for a new direction.
Currently the only candidate to declare a bid for the Labour leadership, Burnham is awaiting the outcome of MP nominations. Haigh, a member of the party’s soft-left faction, has been coordinating with civil servants to ensure stability if Burnham replaces Sir Keir Starmer. She dismissed suggestions that his time away from Westminster as mayor of Greater Manchester left him unprepared, arguing that he utilized those years to deeply examine systemic national issues.
Regarding policy, Burnham intends to prioritize regional devolution and may consider restructuring the influence of the Treasury, though Haigh cautioned that a full dismantling of the department is not feasible within a two-year timeframe. Additionally, the pair remains focused on addressing the welfare budget, with Haigh criticizing previous reform attempts as unsustainable. Reflecting on her own departure from Starmer’s cabinet, Haigh described her exit as the result of coordinated character attacks rather than a failure of governance, while also criticizing the previous administration for its inability to maintain the initial optimism of its election mandate.
