Andy Burnham has given his first House of Commons address as prime minister, promising 'substantial change' and paying tribute to Keir Starmer, whose departure as an MP has triggered a north London byelection.
Key facts
- Andy Burnham delivered his first Commons statement as prime minister on 1 September 2026.
- Keir Starmer has quit parliament, triggering a byelection in his north London seat.
- Burnham said he wants to 'unlock positivity' and promised 'substantial change'.
- He said Brexit had brought a 'decade of low growth' and claimed a 'clear diagnosis of what has gone wrong' with the UK.
- Kemi Badenoch reshuffled her shadow cabinet the previous day, naming Andrew Griffith as shadow chancellor and Tom Tugendhat as shadow foreign secretary.
Andy Burnham has delivered his first address to the House of Commons as prime minister, according to the Guardian, following the departure of his predecessor Keir Starmer from parliament. Starmer’s exit as an MP has triggered a byelection in his north London seat.
Burnham opened his statement with a tribute to Starmer, telling MPs that his predecessor had given Labour a platform ‘and we will use it well’. The new prime minister said he wanted to ‘unlock positivity’ as he set out his approach to the country.
The prime minister told MPs he had a ‘clear diagnosis of what has gone wrong’ with the UK and promised to bring ‘substantial change’. He argued that Brexit had brought a ‘decade of low growth’, according to the Guardian’s live coverage.
The Guardian reported that its senior economics correspondent, Richard Partington, who grew up like Burnham in the Warrington suburb of Culcheth, returned home to gather local reaction to the new prime minister.
The change at the top of government comes as the Conservative opposition also reshaped its front bench. The day before Burnham’s address, Kemi Badenoch announced a reshuffle, replacing Mel Stride with Andrew Griffith as shadow chancellor and Priti Patel with Tom Tugendhat as shadow foreign secretary.
The byelection prompted by Starmer’s resignation from the Commons adds a further electoral test in north London, though the timing and result were not detailed in the available coverage.
Why it matters
A change of prime minister and the departure of a former party leader from parliament reshapes the direction of the UK government and sets the tone for the political period ahead. Burnham's diagnosis of the economy and his promise of 'substantial change' signal the priorities he intends to pursue in office.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Keir Starmer leave parliament?
The sources report that Keir Starmer stepped down as an MP, triggering a byelection in his north London seat. The reasons for his departure were not detailed in the available coverage.
What did Burnham say in his first Commons address?
Burnham paid tribute to Starmer, said he wanted to 'unlock positivity', promised 'substantial change', and stated that Brexit had brought a 'decade of low growth' while claiming a 'clear diagnosis of what has gone wrong' with the UK.
What changes did the Conservatives make to their front bench?
Kemi Badenoch announced a reshuffle, replacing Mel Stride with Andrew Griffith as shadow chancellor and Priti Patel with Tom Tugendhat as shadow foreign secretary.