If Burnham wins, Starmer would then likely set out a departure timetable. And while former Health Secretary Wes Streeting insists he will enter any leadership race, Burnham’s allies are privately pushing for a coronation, as Labour’s grassroots members — who choose the party leader — don’t want a divisive contest. Plus, Streeting may be keen on the top job, but he would probably back Burnham in return for a senior cabinet post.
A handover of power could take place in the immediate aftermath of a Burnham victory; however, a September handover — possibly at Labour’s annual conference in late September — looks more realistic. (For now, Burnham is focused on a very close fight with Reform UK, leaving little time to prepare for government.)
But what would Burnham do with power?
Despite his veiled criticisms of Starmer’s government, the Greater Manchester mayor has repeatedly signaled he would respect Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s fiscal rules for the remainder of this parliament. He has already retreated from proposals that might alarm financial markets, and he has shown little appetite for reopening debates over large-scale nationalization.
Indeed, Burnham’s calls for greater public control over sectors like water, transport and energy are not a return to the nationalization programs of the 1970s. Rather, they’re modeled on his approach to Manchester’s bus network: stronger public oversight combined with continued private-sector involvement.
Also, Burnham would almost certainly avoid increases in income tax that would violate Labour’s 2024 manifesto commitments. He may, however, seek revenue elsewhere through measures like council tax reform, inheritance tax changes or land-value taxation.