Burnham Rules Out a Snap Election and an Independence Vote
Andy Burnham used his first weekend as Prime Minister to rule out both a snap general election and a second Scottish independence referendum, vowing to govern to Labour’s 2024 manifesto. On a visit to Scotland, where he met the First Minister, John Swinney, Mr Burnham pledged to “tackle the cost-of-living crisis faced by Scots and give them hope”. He is due to be interviewed on television on Sunday.
Having taken office without facing the country, Mr Burnham has fielded questions over his mandate, and his ruling-out of an early election is intended to steady nerves in his party and the markets. His trip north — amid a major wildfire in the Cairngorms — is part of a pitch to govern for the whole of the United Kingdom and to blunt both nationalist and Reform advances. Critics note that much of his programme still rests on the previous government’s fiscal plans. Watch his Sunday interview for how he defends an unelected premiership.