THE 10 Downing Street has seen another new face as a resident, seventh to be precise in the last one decade. Popular choice within the Labour Party and a fine orator, Mr. Andy Burnham has taken over as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom again raising hopes among the Britons about a change in the frustratingly stagnant situation on the economic front and eroding living standards since 2008. The “King of the North” now inherits more of the same problems that his predecessors failed to deal with and faces his sternest test as a public figure since entering politics. Mr. Burnham’s ascendency was never in question after his staunch opposition to fellow party leader and immediate past Prime Minister Mr. Keir Starmer found huge traction among the Labour members. His oratory and story-telling knack put enough confidence in the Labour Party to go for a change and force Mr. Starmer to step down. The former PM also did not help his own cause by taking risky decisions against public opinion. It finally came back to bit Mr. Starmer and with the fractured Labour Party deciding to seek another change, Mr. Burnham did not have to wait too long to enter the revolving door at Ten Downing Street.

 

The question now is, does he have it in him to finally stop the door’s movements and bring back the United Kingdom’s struggling economy back to the pre-Brexit levels? Each entrant of Number 10, since former PM Mr. Boris Johnson officially signed Britain’s divorce with the European Union, has been facing the aftermath of Brexit. Though the popular referendum was in favour of Britain exiting the EU economic bloc, there were practical questions about sustenance of its economy in absence of the agreements with EU countries. Despite all its good efforts, the British government has yet to find a sustainable solution to revive its sagging economy. Its consequences have been severe with the general public facing a future with stalled growth and living standards degrading each passing quarter. Mr. Burnham will be dealing with the same ghost hovering over the British economy post Brexit. How differently he is going to tackle these sensitive issues will decide whether Mr. Burnham enjoys a longer stay as the UK PM. Mr. Burnham has time to implement his agenda before Britain’s next general elections to be held in 2029. He has already presented his point-by-point plan aiming to raise living standards with re-industrialisation and reforms of public utilities.

 

It is an ambitious programme prepared with a longer timeline. However, the PM has little fiscal room to implement it in full force which might raise questions within his own party. Given the fractured nature of the Labour Party and growing disenchantment among its members about the dull growth story, there will be an urge for a quickfix among many people in the country. It will be a task for Mr. Burnham to sensitise these people about the ill-effects of short-sighted policies and dividends hidden in long-term planning. It is the same situation that Mr. Rishi Sunak, another former PM of Britain, had faced while in office. He, too, had planned some tough measures to control the economic fall but the markets gave his policies a big thumbs down while the public was in no mood to listen to the pragmatism of long-term planning. Mr. Burnham will have to come up with a better idea to convince people about a collective fight needed by the UK. Apart from the fiscal issues, Mr. Burnham’s plate is full with tricky issues related to Britain’s foreign policy.

 

The United States has been breathing down at the UK after the hard stand adopted by Mr. Starmer during the West Asia crisis. His refusal to toe US President Mr. Donald Trump’s line on military attack to free the Strait of Hormuz has caused a massive dent in UK’s relations with Washington. Tackling these issues will be the real test for Mr. Burnham. With strikingly little foreign policy experience, the PM will have to take a deep dive into British history and find inspiration in keeping the US by the UK’s side and also at an arm’s distance. Balance will be the key for Mr. Burnham.