Labour candidate Andy Burnham won a parliamentary by-election by a wide margin in June. Wigan, Britain – Image: Jon Super/AP Photo/picture alliance
From northwest England to the global stage: Andy Burnham becomes Britain’s new prime minister on Monday. How will the former mayor of Manchester tackle international affairs?
Andy Burnham’s political stage has so far been limited to the Manchester region in northern England. There he spent nine years as the city’s mayor, earning himself the nickname “King of the North.” Under his leadership, the local economy grew faster than the national average while poverty declined in the city’s inner districts.
Burnham has cultivated an approachable image. He is often seen wearing dark T-shirts and jeans, with simple black-framed glasses that look more functional than fashionable. His relaxed manner and quick wit have made him popular across northern England, where he recently won a parliamentary by-election by a landslide, securing a seat in the House of Commons.
On Monday, July 20, following his appointment as Labour Party leader, he will move into Downing Street as prime minister, replacing Keir Starmer after just two years in office. Nearly all Labour MPs back him, hoping he can halt the rise of Nigel Farage and his anti-immigration, right-wing populist party, Reform UK.
Now a new chapter begins for the “King of the North.” Foreign policy has played only a minor role in his career until now, but he must quickly establish himself as an international player.
“I don’t know him,” US President Donald Trump said recently when journalists asked about Burnham, adding that he believed he was “the mayor of a small city.” Burnham, however, can hardly afford to dwell on the dismissive remark, given the long list of foreign policy challenges that awaits him.
Burnham: Commitment to allies, criticism of Israel
Britain is closely tied to the United States through the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and depends more heavily than many other European countries on security cooperation with Washington. An open conflict with Trump would therefore carry risks.
“The United States is an indispensable partner for Britain, both for its service-based economy and for its security,” says Mihir Sharma of the London-based Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). Under Starmer, relations with Trump had become strained after London initially refused to allow the United States to use British military bases for strikes on Iran. Trump recently criticized the British prime minister, saying Starmer was “no Winston Churchill.”
On the Middle East, however, Burnham may steer a new course. He has pledged to increase pressure on the Israeli government, adopting tougher sanctions and banning trade in goods from illegal settlements. He has also apologized for Britain’s initial support of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Ukrainian soldiers take part in a military exercise at a military training camp in Northern England – Image: Scott Heppell/AP Photo/picture alliance
In an article for The Times, Burnham reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to its leadership role and to maintaining its existing alliances. Britain’s security, he wrote, is directly linked to Ukraine’s, suggesting that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy can expect as much support from Burnham as from Starmer. Alongside France and Germany, Starmer had played a leading role in Europe’s so-called coalition of the willing. Burnham has also pledged to maintain Britain’s nuclear deterrent.
It is not yet clear whether Burnham will appoint a new foreign secretary or retain Yvette Cooper in the post. Jonathan Powell, however, is expected to keep the job of national security adviser — a win for Burnham, as Powell is widely regarded as one of Britain’s most accomplished diplomats, with strong ties in both Washington and Kyiv.
Burnham: A ‘reset’ with Brussels no longer a priority?
How Burnham will approach relations with Brussels remains an open question. Will he continue his predecessor’s pro-European course? At last year’s Labour Party conference, Burnham said he hoped Britain would rejoin the European Union “within my lifetime.” Under Starmer, ties with the EU improved significantly, and many pro-Europeans hope Burnham will go even further.
Anand Menon, a Europe expert at King’s College London, is more skeptical. “My guess is that Burnham will give less priority to the ‘reset’ with the EU because it currently requires a great deal of political effort while delivering relatively little,” he says.
At the same time, Menon believes there could be room for closer ties over the longer term. With migration to Britain having fallen sharply in recent years, he argues that London could eventually accept limited immigration from the EU again. That, in turn, could pave the way for closer economic cooperation with Brussels and help revive Britain’s sluggish economy.
Will Andy Burnham bring London and Brussels even closer? – Image: Federico Gambarini/dpa/picture alliance
A European security pact?
Mihir Sharma believes Burnham could propose an ambitious European security pact covering military cooperation, clean technology supply chains and artificial intelligence.
“Britain is a major military power,” Sharma says. “European security would be strengthened if the country took part in defense projects and contributed to protecting Europe’s industrial base.”
He argues that Burnham should seek new partners within the EU, such as the Nordic countries or Poland, which he believes would be more receptive to closer defense cooperation than France or Germany.
So far, however, there are few concrete indications of how the new prime minister intends to shape Britain’s relations around the world. Burnham is assuming a role unlike any he has held before.
In Manchester, pragmatism, approachability and political instinct helped make him one of Britain’s most popular politicians. On the international stage, those qualities alone are unlikely to be enough.
DW.com/NAN 18-07-26
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