New PM Andy Burnham to outline measures to help with cost-of-living crisis as he pledges '10-year plan for Britain'
Andy Burnham said he wanted to “give people some breathing space, now" and said he will unveil measures to help with the cost of living as early as tomorrow
Andy Burnham has vowed to make a major economic announcement on his tax and spend agenda tomorrow because he wants to help people with the cost of living.
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In a speech to the nation before entering No10 for the first time as Prime Minister, Mr Burnham said he wanted to “give people some breathing space now, some help with the cost of living."
He added: “And I will set out some of those measures starting tomorrow, including how we pay for them.
“We will help more young people into education... and we will build more council homes. That is the fair and sustainable way to bring the welfare bill down, to meet our fiscal rules and to honour our commitments on defence to our international partners.”
LIVE: A royal audience, then the keys to No 10 - Andy Burnham becomes Britain's new Prime Minister
Read more: 'My work is done', says Starmer as he makes final address as Prime Minister
He also hinted at a major new wave of bringing vital services back into public ownership and a ’10-year-plan’ for Britain.
He said: “We will take power out of here, and carry it into every postcode in the land so that they can do more. And in doing more build a new economy, where we put life’s essentials back under stronger public control to make them affordable to you again.
“Reindustrialising Britain using public procurement to back British industry. Later this year, I will bring forward a new Plan for Britain, a 10-year plan, laying out a plan from where we are now to where I believe we all want Britain to be, wherever we’re coming from, whatever party we support.”
He promised to win over voters “fed up with politics” and show the world that the UK can once again be a source of stability.
Mr Burnham used his first speech as Prime Minister in Downing Street to promise to take power our of Westminster and give the public greater control over “life’s essentials”.
Speaking without the lectern used by his predecessors, Mr Burnham said he would set out help to address the cost-of-living squeeze.
In his first promise as Prime Minister he also said he would “end rough sleeping in our country”.
Mr Burnham, who was met with cheers by supporters in Downing Street, said: “I am acutely conscious that I am the sixth person in the last 10 years to walk up this street, the seventh prime minister since 2016, making this a moment for reflection and new resolution.
“It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge.
“Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again.”
He concluded his first speech as Prime Minister by urging people to “pull with me” to “build a new national sense of unity, of common purpose and positivity”.
Earlier today Sir Keir Starmer gave his final speech as prime minister.
Sir Keir said he would “close the book” on his time in No 10, as he talked about leaving the job with “good grace (and) a smile”. He reflected on his record as Labour leader after taking over the party after its election defeat in 2019.
He spoke shortly before he left Downing Street to go to Buckingham Palace and see the King, to formally resign. His speech saw him flanked by dozens of Labour Party staff, advisers, cabinet ministers and Labour MPs.
His wife, Victoria, stood just behind him as he spoke from the lectern. She, along with their two teenage children, went with Sir Keir to see the King afterwards. Their audience with the monarch at the palace lasted less than half-an-hour.
Sir Keir said: “I am about to visit His Majesty The King to offer my resignation and close the book on my time as prime minister. My work is done.
“In six-and-a-half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country and won a landslide general election victory in 2024.
“Since then, it has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as prime minister, and I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.”
He added: “I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved.”
Sir Keir announced his resignation on June 22, less than two years after he won a 172-seat landslide election victory for the Labour Party.