Andy Burnham has always liked to be liked, but his premiership will be defined by how he handles making enemies. As the new leader of a divided country, he aims to appeal to opposing interests while building national unity. In his first speech outside 10 Downing Street, he called for 'a new national sense of unity, of common purpose and positivity.' After a post-Brexit decade of angry rightwing politics and Labour infighting, his affable approach has initial appeal. This week, for the first time in 18 months, Labour leads Reform UK in the polls, suggesting voters may be tired of divisive politics.
Historical Context of Unity Politics
Labour, as an insecure party, has periodically turned to unity politics. In 1997, its manifesto claimed New Labour was 'the political arm of none other than the British people as a whole.' Lacking the Tories' aura of right to rule, Labour uses patriotic, non-partisan language to legitimize its governments. Only articulate leaders like Tony Blair, Harold Wilson, and perhaps Burnham have pulled this off successfully.
Challenges Ahead: Making Enemies
Unlike Blair in 1997 or Wilson in 1964, Burnham is not launching a fresh project in benign times. He aims to rescue a two-year-old administration by promising 'a new political model and a new economic model' and 'the biggest changes in 40 years.' This will likely challenge beneficiaries of the old order, including shareholders of privatised utilities, wealthy homeowners, London-centric interests, other party leaders, and journalists focused on Westminster plots. The hostile reaction to his initial proposals hints at the fury to come. As Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband, Jeremy Corbyn, and Keir Starmer learned, any left-of-Blair policy is portrayed as a return to the 1970s or a socialist dictatorship, despite such comparisons being exaggerated.
Burnham's Positivity and Experience
Burnham's positivity may be less naive than it seems. As mayor of Greater Manchester and a candidate in Makerfield, his can-do attitude attracted support beyond Labour's strongholds. Voters notice politicians with zest. 'I think this might be the best day of my life,' he said at the opening of No 10 North in Manchester, breaking cautious political rules. Successful governments frame their activities with appealing emotion and rhetoric, making them resonate as part of a bigger story.
Burnham experienced Thatcher's impact as a teenager, seeing striking miners defeated. He served in Blair's government and spent nine years as mayor away from Westminster, watching successors fail. 'I am under no illusions about how hard this is all going to be,' he wrote, 'but I have a clear plan and I know how to get things done.'
Plan and Potential Pitfalls
His plan includes a 10-year time span, tight immigration restrictions, increased defence spending, and a focus on working-class and non-metropolitan Britain—elements familiar from Starmer and failed post-Brexit governments. He believes less-revolutionary figures like new chancellor John Healey can help end neoliberalism. These appointments may be a cunning ploy seeking radical ends via moderate means, or they could show his instinct not to upset people outweighs bolder ideas. However, his precisely executed leadership coup over the past year demonstrates his capacity to surprise should not be underestimated.
