LONDON — British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been in office for two months, and remarkably, his party is not calling for his resignation—a feat in itself.
The governing Labour Party convenes its annual conference along the River Mersey in Liverpool on Sunday, with Burnham promising to move past a decade of economic and political upheaval that has made him the U.K.’s seventh prime minister since the 2016 Brexit vote.
He stated that his keynote speech on Tuesday will carry the message: “It’s time for Britain to have hope again.”
“We’ve had a decade since Brexit, marked by too much drift and division, and we must draw a line under it,” Burnham said upon arriving in Liverpool on Saturday.
His message targets both the public and a center-left party that is hopeful yet anxious—eager to embrace promises of better times, but concerned about economic fallout from Middle East conflicts.
University of Manchester political science professor Rob Ford noted that Burnham’s challenge is to win over “a skeptical electorate” yearning for change, “while navigating a difficult economic and fiscal landscape.”
In essence: “How do you serve people a bowl of cold porridge and convince them it’s a pepperoni pizza?”
Britain’s major political parties hold conferences in September and October, blending pep rallies, social events, and policy forums to set the year’s political agenda.
Last year’s Labour gathering was bleak, as members despaired over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s unpopularity, his rapid decline after a landslide victory, and the rise of the anti-immigration Reform UK.
Burnham, then mayor of Greater Manchester, trailed by journalists in Liverpool as speculation mounted that he would challenge Starmer.
The situation escalated months later when a panicked party forced Starmer’s resignation, replacing him with Burnham as leader and prime minister in July.
Now, Labour is experiencing a “Burnham bounce,” fueled by the new leader’s upbeat rhetoric and modest measures to ease financial burdens, such as cutting taxes on electricity bills and capping bus fares.
Meanwhile, Reform faces parliamentary and police scrutiny over its finances, though it recently received a massive 72 million pounds ($95 million) from two cryptocurrency billionaires.
Burnham has outlined priorities, including empowering local leaders to foster “good growth in every postcode” and reforming Britain’s privatized utilities, particularly the costly, leaky, and polluting water network.
While the party remains largely united, Burnham faces a divisive decision on approving new North Sea oil drilling—opposed by environmentalists but supported by trade unions—and backlash over Starmer-era plans to restrict immigrant settlement.
The next general election is not due until 2029, but Labour’s resurgence has fueled speculation of a snap election, which Burnham denies.
“All of this speculation on an early election, I can knock that dead,” Burnham told broadcaster ITV on Friday.
However, economic pain is inevitable regardless of Burnham’s optimism.
Burnham must address how he will manage economic turbulence from the fluctuating U.S.-Iran conflict, which has severely disrupted oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Treasury chief John Healey will deliver the Burnham government’s first budget on Oct. 28, as rising energy prices intensify the cost-of-living crisis. Like other nations, Britain must also fund increased defense spending to counter Russian threats.
This implies tax hikes, spending cuts, or both.
Easing Brexit trade barriers could boost the economy. Burnham has pledged closer EU ties, but the extent remains unclear.
Under Starmer, Labour was elected in 2024 on a promise not to rejoin the bloc or enter its single market. Many Labour members, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair, want to break this pledge, with Blair urging the U.K. and EU to negotiate “with everything on the table.”
Burnham has deferred this discussion. Progress toward closer ties remains slow.
An EU-U.K. reset summit initially scheduled for July has slipped to November at the earliest due to disputes over the bloc’s “made in Europe” rules, which the U.K. claims will harm British producers.
“The bills are still going to land on the doormat,” Ford said. “He’s going to have to be the prime minister who can sell the average voter on, ‘Yes, that is indeed a bowl of cold porridge in front of you, but it will get better.'”