The Andy Burnham Interview

Summary

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Newscast: Andy Burnham – The Laura Kuenssberg Interview

Date: July 27, 2026
Host: Laura Kuenssberg (BBC)
Guest: Andy Burnham (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)

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Overview

This special episode marks Andy Burnham’s first major interview as the UK’s 59th Prime Minister, just days after succeeding Keir Starmer. Laura Kuenssberg presses Burnham on domestic and foreign policy at a time of global turmoil, including Britain’s relationship with President Donald Trump, escalating conflict in Iran, defence spending, welfare reform, social care, tax policy, immigration, and the prospect of an early general election.

Burnham repeatedly emphasizes pragmatism, continuity with Labour’s manifesto, and a desire for more collaborative politics, while facing probing questions on the urgency and content of his policy plans.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Relationship with President Trump & the Iran Conflict

• Burnham describes his first call with Trump as "warm", stressing the need to build a working relationship that serves British interests while remaining honest about disagreements.
  • Quote:

    "I need to, you know, build a way of working with the president that works for him, but works for us, too. And I'll always be clear about where I think Britain's interest lies."
    (Burnham, 02:34)

• On the recent US-led war against Iran, Burnham acknowledges international concerns and inflationary impacts but withholds direct criticism of Trump’s strategy. He notes the importance of de-escalation and protecting British interests.
  • Quote:

    "There's been concern, hasn't there, about the conflict, the escalating nature of it, and that has been communicated..."
    (Burnham, 04:20)

• When pressed if he can trust Donald Trump:
  • Quote:

    "I've had one phone call and I always treat people as I find them...I found him to be really warm on Monday. But obviously, you know, we will continue to build the relationship as we go forward."
    (Burnham, 05:56)

• Burnham stresses he will call out the US President if required:
  • Quote:

    "Of course...you have to defend your own national interest before anything else. That's what you're required to do if you're to do this job properly."
    (Burnham, 07:32)

2. Defence Spending

• Burnham is non-committal on raising defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 despite his Chancellor's previous statements, instead emphasizing meeting NATO commitments and prudent budgeting.
  • Quote:

    "The first challenge facing us both is to ensure that the Defence Investment Plan is fully funded. And that's the thing that's right in front of us..."
    (Burnham, 08:48)
    "I'm absolutely committed to what we've promised our NATO partners..."
    (Burnham, 10:00)

3. Welfare and Benefits

• Rather than directly blaming benefit claimants or proposing cuts, Burnham critiques systemic failings in education and social support, especially for young people.
  • Quote:

    "I don't blame them. I don't think the support has been there for them... It's in the way that it should have been."
    (Burnham, 10:42)

• Plans involve conditionality in some benefits and focus on long-term structural reforms such as building more social housing to reduce the welfare bill sustainably—rejecting crude or punitive cuts.
  • Quote:

    "Often that just pushes people into even more crisis and then even more public spending in another part of the system. We need a system that sets people up for success rather than pays for failure."
    (Burnham, 13:28)

4. Social Care Reform

• Burnham calls social care his “biggest priority” and pledges to push reforms "as quickly as [he] can," but avoids promising a complete system overhaul before the next election.
  • Quote:

    "I would not want to leave office without having brought in the substantial change, the new system of social care that you describe... If we don't do it, the NHS will collapse under the weight of trying to care for people who've really not really needed to end up in the NHS system."
    (Burnham, 15:55)

5. Tax and Funding Public Services

• Burnham evades confirming wealth taxes but highlights the unfairness of council tax disparities and hints at possible reform, while stressing prudence and adherence to Labour’s fiscal rules.
  • Quote:

    "There are people here in Greater Manchester who pay a much higher council tax than people living in much larger homes in London... So, you know, that's an example of something that I think was right."
    (Burnham, 17:52)

  • Quote:

    "I will stick to the fiscal rules... I will take that cautious approach."
    (Burnham, 18:23)

6. Vested Interests & “Pain” in Reform

• Burnham draws on his mayoral experience taking on bus and water companies as examples of challenging vested interests to serve the public good.
  • Quote:

    "The pain comes, I'm afraid, in disrupting some of those arrangements and saying to those vested interests, you can't have it like this anymore."
    (Burnham, 20:11)

7. Immigration Policy

• On proposals to extend the period before legal migrants can stay:
  • Burnham is non-committal, promising instead a review of ongoing consultations and a balanced, fair approach—especially recognizing the economic contribution of migrants in health and care.
  • Quote:

    "I think the worry that people have is the feeling that it's out of control and that we don't have a grip as a country..."
    (Burnham, 20:55)
    "I think people would expect me to bring a new pair of eyes to these issues and find where the fairness is and the right point of balance."
    (Burnham, 21:55)

8. The Ukraine War

• Burnham pledges unwavering support to Ukraine, stating he would not undermine President Zelensky, and would only consider talks with Putin in close consultation with Kyiv.
  • Quote:

    "My support for Ukraine is UNWAVING. It is 100%. And I will do what in Ukraine, people think is the right thing that they need."
    (Burnham, 22:58)

9. Governing Mandate & Early General Election

• Kuenssberg presses Burnham on his legitimacy, given he became PM mid-term with a small by-election mandate. Burnham firmly rules out an early general election and defends the parliamentary system.
  • Quote:

    "There is no early general election...We're in a parliamentary democracy, so that is what people voted for."
    (Burnham, 25:47)

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On governing style and listening:

  "My strength always is in remaining close to people, close to the public. That will not change because I'm Prime Minister."
  (Burnham, 06:46)

• On political capital and personal motivation:

  "Whatever political capital I have, I will put in to fixing broken social care. And I would not want to leave office without having brought in the substantial change..."
  (Burnham, 15:55)

• On the need for time and fresh eyes:

  "I think people would expect me to bring a new pair of eyes to these issues and find where the fairness is and the right point of balance."
  (Burnham, 21:55)

• On “pain” and tackling vested interests:

  "The pain comes, I'm afraid, in disrupting some of those arrangements and saying to those vested interests, you can't have it like this anymore."
  (Burnham, 20:11)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• First call with Donald Trump – 02:34
• On US-Iran conflict and Britain’s response – 03:28–05:53
• Defence spending & NATO commitments – 08:21–10:24
• Welfare reform and youth support – 10:42–13:28
• Social care reform – 14:15–16:42
• Tax, council tax, and fiscal policy – 17:04–19:04
• Taking on vested interests – 19:36–20:11
• Immigration and consultation – 20:21–22:29
• Ukraine war and foreign policy – 22:45–24:03
• Legitimacy and general election – 25:27–26:31

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Summary

Burnham positions himself as a pragmatic, collaborative leader balancing continuity with Labour’s manifesto and a need for renewal. He stresses caution on big spending pledges and tax rises but also the urgency of social care reform and long-term structural change. Burnham is careful to avoid headline-grabbing commitments, arguing instead for evidence and consultation—while defending the legitimacy of his government and ruling out a snap election. Throughout, he projects confidence in his values and experience, signalling both change and stability for a divided, uncertain Britain.

Transcript

[Andy Burnham]

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[Andy Burnham]

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[Laura Kuenssberg]

hello newscasters, it's Laura. And in your feed is the first big interview that Andy Burnham has done as Prime Minister in the last 10 days. We were allowed to film him up close at some of the key moments when he became Labour leader. We were just backstage when he was Prime Minister in Downing Street. We were behind the black door when he walked in. And then we were there, too. On his first day in his adopted home, Manchester, in his new office in number 10 north. Most importantly, after weeks of being accused of running away from scrutiny, we were able to sit down with our 59th Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, and ask him questions about matters at home and abroad. So here for your ears is the first big interview with Andy Burnham as Prime Minister. Also in your feed is a special episode where Adam and I pick over what he had to say. Newscast, newscast from the BBC. Humanity's next great voyage begins.

[Andy Burnham]

You know, I like my buses. I'll come on to them.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

I see that he was, I guess,

[Andy Burnham]

the mayor of a town.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Ooh la la.

[Andy Burnham]

Thinking about it like a panto helped.

[Podcast Advertiser]

Do we play music now or what do we do?

[Laura Kuenssberg]

And what will you do? Stare at a wall? Prime Minister, you're springboard to power. Was being a very popular mayor here in Manchester. But now you represent all of us in the UK and all of us around the world at a time of huge turmoil. The UK's biggest ally is Donald Trump. How was your first call with him?

[Andy Burnham]

It was a good call. It was a warm call. Lasted for 15 minutes or so. It was. Yeah, it got us off to a good start and obviously It's a relationship that, know, you take extremely seriously. I need to, you know, build a way of working with the president that works for him, but works for us, too. And I'll always be clear about where I think Britain's interest lies. I'm not going to go into this and not be clear about that, but I think it's always important. I am somebody who tries to work with people, you know, make that connection with people. I think we made an initial connection and obviously we'll see where we go from here.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Donald Trump started a war of choice against Iran and that affects all of us. With oil prices rising, was his strategy to attack a mistake?

[Andy Burnham]

Well, I think the Prime Minister before Keir Starmer did the right thing, I think, in taking the approach that he did, and I pay tribute to him. He did step back, he did call for caution, and the position he took, I think, was the right position where it does involve British troops being at risk or attacks on allies. Obviously, there is a case for Britain to support the defence of our allies and our own troops.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

But was one of Trump's decision a mistake because we are all paying the price indirectly with the oil price, and now also Iran has made a threat against the uk, saying we are a legitimate target. So was it a strategic mistake for Donald Trump to go into Iran?

[Andy Burnham]

There's been concern, hasn't there, about the conflict, the escalating nature of it, and that has been communicated, and Britain communicated that at the time. I have been briefed and I am being briefed regularly on the situation, and that will remain the case.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

But you say people had concerns about Trump attacking Iran. Did you have a concern? Do you have the concern right now that it was a strategic mistake and we're all paying the price in potential more inflation, maybe more shocks to the economy and of threats to this country from the Iranians?

[Andy Burnham]

I did have a concern at the time. I think I voiced that concern at the time as mayor of Greater Manchester, as the effect came through. And my voice was one of many around the world. And I think those voices in some ways had an influence. Obviously, the US and Iran came back to the negotiating table, and obviously then there was an uneasy truce with the process of talks and we all would want to see de escalation and a return to that situation. So I will be clear, as I said a moment ago, about where Britain's interest lies. I won't hold back from saying what I think is right and what represents the feeling of people here. But I also have to live in the world that we're in and make pragmatic decisions in the best interests of the country.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Do you think that you can trust Donald Trump?

[Andy Burnham]

Well, I've had one phone call and I always treat people as I find them. And it was a good exchange. It was, as I said before, it was a warm exchange. So I am that kind of politician. I always will see judge people as I find them. I've lived my whole life by that, and I will continue to live my life by that. Sometimes, you know, you get an impression of somebody from media. I will judge as I find, and I found him to be really warm on Monday. But obviously, you know, we will continue to build the relationship as we go forward.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

But as things stand, you're not. You're not sure. So you're saying you'll feel your way, you're not sure at this stage that you can place your trust in him as a fellow.

[Andy Burnham]

It's a changing world, isn't it? And you just have to obviously call things as they call, as they develop. And in that, I can't at any point say that I won't take a different opinion from him, that I will need to voice a different opinion that is right for Britain, and I will. I will do that. People have seen me do that throughout my political career. Here during the pandemic, when I had disagreements with the former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. There have been other moments in my political career where I have kind of stood outside the consensus and spoken for the public. My strength always is in remaining close to people, close to the public. That will not change because I'm Prime Minister.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

So you'd be willing to call Donald Trump out if you think that's the right thing?

[Andy Burnham]

Of course. I mean, you've got to go into this. All leaders have to do that. You have to defend your own national interest before anything else. That's what you're required to do if you're to do this job properly. I will always put Britain's interests first.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

And if there is an attack on UK assets, or even in the uk, as they've threatened to do from Iran, would you, as Prime Minister, order, strike back?

[Andy Burnham]

I mean, I am not going to get into the position of sort of, you know, if you like guessing what scenarios might develop, it's a challenging situation. De escalation is the thing that I think we need to see. And I will certainly be adding my voice to the other voices of leaders around the world who are calling for the same.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Are you going to give Donald Trump what he wants, but also what Your Chancellor, John Healey, wants, which is further increases in defence spending. When your Chancellor was Defence Secretary, he said very clearly in black and white that our country would not be safe unless the Prime Minister committed to spending 3% of national income on defence by 2030. Will you make that promise to keep us safe here and now?

[Andy Burnham]

Well, I appointed my new Chancellor very aware of what he had said about the critical importance of defence spending and the position that he had taken about that. The first challenge facing us both is to ensure that the Defence Investment Plan is fully funded. And that's the thing that's right in front of us, and we need to work that through as we go towards the budget later this year.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

But he said specifically, the country will not be safe unless the Prime Minister sets a date of when we're going to hit 3% of national income. Now, it sounds like you're not ready to commit to that yet.

[Andy Burnham]

Well, I think that's a little unfair because I was standing in Downing street just a few days ago talking about the crucial importance of Britain honoring its commitments on defence, its NATO commitments to international partners. You know, I'm really, really very clear about that.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

And to do that, there's a specific commitment that John Healy put in black and white, which was it has to be 3% by 2030. Will you commit to that yet or not?

[Andy Burnham]

I'm absolutely committed to. To what we've promised our NATO partners, and that is my commitment. Now, we've got to work out the way of doing that. But I do not want to see Britain regarded as somebody, a country that people can't trust anymore. I don't think anyone wants us to be in that position.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

And in order to do that, that will mean many extra billions. And when you look at government spending, the cost of sickness and disability benefits for working age people is now almost as much as the defence budget. Are there people claiming benefits who, in your view, don't need them?

[Andy Burnham]

Well, I wouldn't necessarily go straight to blaming those people. What I would say is that there are people in the benefit system, young people in their 20s, who have been, I would say, quite seriously let down because the support wasn't there for them when it should have been there. So I'm talking about a school system that doesn't have the right support for young people with special educational needs or disabilities. I'm talking about an education system that for a very long time has been obsessed on the university route, but hasn't done enough. Important point. Hasn't done enough for young people who want technical Qualifications and in many ways has treated them as second class students. Hasn't done enough for young people at 16 who want to get an apprenticeship, a work related opportunity, and that all leaves people in a position when they get to their late teenage years that they don't know where life is taking them. So I don't blame them. I don't think the support has been there for them. It's in the way that it should have been.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Does your plan for welfare though, currently include reducing benefits from anyone who currently receives them or removing them from anyone who currently receives them? Because there'll be some people watching this who thinks there are too many people on benefits who play the system. There'll be other people watching who might feel really anxious that benefits they rely on will be taken away from them. You know, this is not, it's not a binary debate, but there's anxiety on all sides. So specifically, as your plans stand, do they include removing benefits from anyone or reducing benefits for anyone?

[Andy Burnham]

It's about changing the nature of the support and making some of the support conditional upon people taking opportunities that are presented.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

So you might increase the condition.

[Andy Burnham]

I think it's a good thing that the government benefits has given guarantees of opportunities for young people and I think we need to continue down that approach. And where mental health support is needed, for instance, it's provided in work to support people in an opportunity. Let me just say something more though, about what you're driving at, which is the welfare bill. I think we've got to get really serious as a country at getting the welfare bill down. And one of the things I would point to was the sell off of social and council homes in the 1980s onwards. That has left us chasing rents in the private rented sector through the benefit system, which means we've got a very high housing benefit bill in this country. And the building of new council and social homes over time will help get that benefit bill down in a fair and sustainable way. And I think the thing I'm just pushing back on is this idea that we go to a kind of crude approach, crude cuts to benefits to get the welfare bill down. Often that just pushes people into even more crisis and then even more public spending in another part of the system. We need a system that sets people up for success rather than pays for failure.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

You have this week doled out quite a lot of things that you hope people will like. People may well like them capping bus fares, also promising to cut taxes on pubs and take VAT off electricity. But the country's problems and the country's debts are massive. This defence we've discussed. You want finally to fix social care. We know you care passionately about that. Will you commit to creating a new social care system before the next election?

[Andy Burnham]

I will go as quickly as I can on the reform of social care. Well, it's not because a whole new system, which is what you asked, takes time. I think there are major changes you can make before the next election. And the reason why I say I'll go as quickly as I can is because I believe broken social care is the biggest cause of corridor care in the nhs. It's the biggest cause of billions being spent on people unnecessarily going into hospital from care in their home or in a residential care home. Because sometimes the care workers supporting them just feel they've no choice but to ring 999. Let me make this point because it's very personal to me. And then people have long stays in hospital, which never should have happened in the first place, and then they end up fit to go home but unable to be discharged because the social care isn't there. This costs the NHS billions of pounds and we will never get the NHS back to good waiting time standards until we fix social.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

And that's the point, though, isn't it? This is something actually, in interviews, you and I have discussed this for 20 years. There have been proposals on the table, very similar proposals being put on the table time after time after time after time. This is about political will, is it not?

[Andy Burnham]

Yes.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

And it's about being willing to put money onto it.

[Andy Burnham]

Yes.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

So you don't, it may be suggested, need to wait for new proposals. This is about whether or not you, as a new Prime Minister, want to commit to it, want to commit taxpayers money to it, want to commit political energy to it. And you might not have time.

[Andy Burnham]

And I won't change coming into this job. I'm not going to take different positions than the ones I've long put to you in interviews. I will. Whatever political capital I have, I will put in to fixing broken social care. And I would not want to leave office without having brought in the substantial change, the new system of social care that you describe. I. I can't put a timeline on it right here, right now, but I know actually not just for the needs of the people who need social care support and work within that system. If we don't do it, the NHS will collapse under the weight of trying to care for people who've really not really needed to end up in the NHS system.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Lots of things that you care about are expensive and costly.

[Andy Burnham]

But we're paying for social care at the moment.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

But should the wealthy in this country get ready to pay more tax? In Burnham's Britain, you've even got Gary Lineker, who you did an interview with the other day, saying he and his few of his rich pals should pay more, maybe on their property. Should the wealthy be ready to pay more tax on their assets and their properties?

[Andy Burnham]

I'm four days in. I mean, you're asking me now to write, you know, the next budget or, you know, the next manifesto. Well, I have a manifesto and I'm serious about sticking to the manifesto.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

But you said there was a manoeuvre on tax. And I'm asking you because you've often argued very clearly that there should be more tax, whether on property or land. You're interested passionately in fixing social care, which is a very costly thing to do. We know the country's debts are enormous, the demands on defense are enormous. So there's lots of economists that would look at that and say, you've got to find money from somewhere. So I'll ask again, should Gary Lineker, wealthy friends be ready to pay more tax? Because you said before, maybe they will have to pay a little more.

[Andy Burnham]

Well, let me answer it this way. You know, there are people here in Greater Manchester who pay a much higher council tax than people living in much larger homes in London. So the Chancellor before Rachel Reeves was right to start to reform council tax to create some fairness there in relation to people in homes that are much greater value who haven't seen their council tax go up over the years because of the failure to revalue the banding. So, you know, that's an example of something that I think was right.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

So you would look at reforming a council tax system.

[Andy Burnham]

But I am also saying to you that we need to honour the manifesto upon which Labour was elected. And if I was to bring forward any changes, obviously people would rightly say, well, is this consistent with that manifesto? So, you know, there are big decisions ahead. You are right about that. You know, I need to be very prudent when it comes to the public finances. I will stick to the fiscal rules. And I know, you know, people try and, you know, create a sense that I won't take that cautious approach. I will take that cautious approach.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

I suppose you face choices for a whole generation, whether it's the scale of the debt, whether it is the demands on defence. And you hinted there also during that by election campaign, there were some concerns about whether or not you really were going to stick to the economic guidelines that Rachel Reeves had set down. But I suppose, where is the pain going to come? Because cap and bus fares, giving a pub a grand off their tax bill, that might be very, very welcome, but that's the pleasure, the goodies, if that, you're happy as a new Prime Minister, to dole out. What people want to know is, where is the pain going to come?

[Andy Burnham]

Here in Greater Manchester, I took on the bus industry, the bus companies, because they were running a system that was working for them. And it was painful to a degree because the bus companies made me go all the way to the High Court. But I fought them and I won that argument and I got the ability to put buses back under public control here. Then if you look at water, you could say, right, a similar approach is needed. You take on the vested interest, the water industry in Britain, it's a system where the shareholders never lose and the public never win.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

And are you going to take on.

[Andy Burnham]

The pain comes, I'm afraid, in disrupting some of those arrangements and saying to those vested interests, you can't have it like this anymore.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Okay. When it gets to difficult decisions, the public in the last couple of decades have in many cases felt that politicians haven't listened to them. When it comes to decisions about immigration under the current government plans, the suggestion is that people in this country, legally migrants, might have to wait 10 years or perhaps more before they are allowed to stay. Will you carry on with that plan?

[Andy Burnham]

Well, that proposal has been under consultation.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

And what's your view as the new Prime Minister?

[Andy Burnham]

Well, I come in and I am listening to people's views and we'll come to a fair resolution. You know, I think the worry that people have is the feeling that it's out of control and that we don't have a grip as a country and therefore we don't have the right procedures.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

So you might look again, though you are not persuaded to that that's the right plan, because people might be worried about that.

[Andy Burnham]

Going to look at what's been said during the consultation and I mentioned social care before and I see people contributing to our society by working in social care who've in many cases come from around the world to work there or work in the nhs. I don't think people actually say that that is something that we don't want. We want people, when they're here and making a contribution to be able to be, if you like, supported by the said.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Clearly you're not yet persuaded that that is the right way to go so that people will be interested in.

[Andy Burnham]

I'm looking at the consultation. I think it's fair enough for me to say, four days into the job where there has been discussions going on that, you know, I kind of come in, look at the situation and say, right, let me see what people are saying. Let me see the balance of the arguments. I think people would expect me to bring a new pair of eyes to these issues and find where the fairness is and the right point of balance. And that's why I have put a pause on the early release scheme. It's why the review I've initiated is real. And, you know, if changes are needed, I will make them.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Just as you're trying to give people a bit of breathing space with the cost of living, you're saying, give me a bit of breathing space.

[Andy Burnham]

You know, it's right that where concerns have been expressed about elements of. Of where the government is at, that I do take the moment to look afresh, and I'm currently doing that.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

One of the things that is also on your desk is a conflict on the edge of our continent. The Ukraine war rages on. Would you take a call from Vladimir Putin?

[Andy Burnham]

I would have to know the circumstances in which that was being requested, so it's hard to answer that question directly. I would obviously want to, first and foremost, take my lead from the person that I would want to hear from, who would be President Zelensky, who will be coming here. I look forward to welcoming him again. I pay tribute to the former Prime Minister, who gave him huge personality support. He will get exactly the same from me. I would do nothing, absolutely nothing, to undermine him in the conflict in which he is in. You know, my support for Ukraine is UNWAVING. It is 100%. And I will do what in Ukraine, people think is the right thing that they need. They will have in me a loyal support, and I would do nothing that cuts across that position.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

We've been listening carefully. You've thought about this job, becoming Prime Minister for a long time. What you're saying to us today very clearly, and as you say, many people think it's completely legitimate that there are a lot of things that you might need time to work out. There are a lot of things that you're not quite sure of yet you want to think about. You use the phrase fresh eyes. You're asking for time. You might not have time because you've taken over midterm.

[Andy Burnham]

I don't know if I am asking for time because I've come in and. Well, you know, I've been pretty active, right, this week. I've been doing things, making moves. They're not the be all and end all, but they're signs of where I want to go.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Immigration and Defence and Social Care. You have said you need time and it may be perfectly legitimate, but.

[Andy Burnham]

Well, no, because let me just come back to you. I mean, Social Care was on a longer path. I brought it straightforward. I mean, I've done the opposite, actually, on social care, immigration. I'll take a quick decision on the issues, but there's been a consultation, so I'm just inheriting where we are on that issue. On early release, I've paused it, but it's only a brief pause, so I can make sure that I'm doing everything possible to maximise public safety. So, no, to be honest with you, I've hit the ground running and I've come into this job with real clarity about what I'm about.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

But you say you coming to power will be the biggest change this country's seen in four decades. Thing is, 25,000 people voted for you in Makerfield. The 48 million people in the electorate in this country haven't had a chance to have a say on any of your plans. Do you rule out having a general election before 2029?

[Andy Burnham]

There is no early general election. And the thing I would say to you is 20 plus how many million people you just mentioned voted for a manifesto. We're in a parliamentary democracy, so that is what people voted for. And I said to you earlier in this interview that I will honour that, that manifesto and, you know, obviously I have face the public in Makerfield. At the time I stood forward in the by election, people say, oh, my goodness, that constituency voted reform in May. That's a risk. I went and faced the public and I went out onto those doorsteps. So, you know, I have done that. I've got the support of colleagues in Parliament and it's a parliamentary democracy that we're in.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Rule it out.

[Andy Burnham]

Well, I'm going to rule it out, yeah. There's no early general election. I don't think people want it, you know. Well, the opinion polls might say some people do, some people don't. But the thing is, I just think what I most need to do is get Britain focused on getting the country back where it should be, getting it working. And I do want to be serious about this point. I am trying to build a new politics more collaborative than it's been before. And I think that at the end of the day, is what's in the country's best interests right now. Us working differently as politicians across divide. I'm sitting here almost a week in. I'm really pleased with the start that's been made, but I know there's so much more to do. But I don't think we get there by going back into another sort of divisive process. Let's all face forward together and get this country working again.

[Laura Kuenssberg]

Prime Minister, thank you very much indeed for your time today. Newscast Newscast from the BBC. Well, thank you for making it to the end of another newscast. You clearly ooze stamina. Can I gently encourage you to subscribe to us on BBC Sounds? And then, without having to do anything else, our meandering chats will miraculously make its way to your phone.

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