Long before Andy Burnham walked through the gates of Buckingham Palace to accept the King's invitation to form a government, Asian Voice had watched his political journey unfold from close quarters.
Our first encounter with Burnham came during his tenure as Shadow Health Secretary at the Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards, where he was honoured as Shadow Cabinet Minister of the Year. Even then, he was regarded as one of Labour's brightest prospects.
Months later, Britain's political landscape shifted dramatically. Labour's defeat in the 2015 general election prompted Ed Miliband's resignation, setting off a fiercely contested leadership race. Burnham quickly emerged as the favourite to succeed him.
As the contest gathered pace, Asian Voice brought all four leadership hopefuls before the British Asian community at a special 90-minute hustings in London. Moderated by Asian Voice Managing Editor Rupanjana Dutta, the debate featured Andy Burnham, Jeremy Corbyn, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall.
Corbyn's determination was unmistakable, but Burnham entered the hall as the frontrunner. His campaign slogan, "Andy Burnham: Be Part of the Change," captured the optimism surrounding his candidacy. Few could have predicted that the race would end with Corbyn's landslide victory, leaving Burnham's first bid for the Labour leadership in defeat.
Now, on his third bid, Burnham has finally reached the destination that once seemed within touching distance. After Sir Keir Starmer stepped down last month, Burnham was invited by King Charles III to Buckingham Palace, where he formally accepted the King's request to form a government, becoming Britain's newest Prime Minister and the country's seventh premier in just a decade.
Standing outside Downing Street after taking office, Burnham promised nothing less than a reset for Britain. "We will make this moment a circuit breaker for Britain, bringing forward a new political model and a new economic model," he declared.
Setting out his economic vision, he added: "We will build a new economy where we put life's essentials back under stronger public control to make them affordable again, reindustrialising Britain using public procurement to back British industry."
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Can Burnham turn recognition into representation?
For many in Britain's South Asian community, Andy Burnham arrives in Downing Street with something few national leaders can claim: a reputation built on engagement rather than rhetoric. His years as Mayor of Greater Manchester saw him work closely with diverse communities, earning the perception that he understands not only their aspirations but also the everyday challenges they face.
That connection was evident during his recent Makerfield by-election campaign, when he made a point of recognising the community's contribution, writing on social media: "I acknowledge the valuable contribution of the British Hindu community to the United Kingdom." It was a symbolic gesture, but one that resonated with many who have long sought greater recognition from national political leaders.
As Prime Minister, Burnham now has the opportunity to translate those words into a broader vision for protecting Britain's faith communities. With concerns over religiously motivated hate crime continuing to affect Hindus, Sikhs and Jains alongside other groups, many will be watching to see whether his government adopts a more inclusive approach to faith security. The previous government committed £250 million to strengthen policing and security for Jewish communities in response to rising antisemitic attacks.
According to the 2021 ONS Census, 115,113 people identify as Asian or Asian British, accounting for 20.9% of the city's population and making them the largest ethnic minority group. Across the wider Greater Manchester region, that figure rises to 389,283 residents, underlining the community's significant social, cultural and economic influence across the city-region.
His Cabinet may also signal a shift towards greater representation. Shabana Mahmood remains Home Secretary, while Lisa Nandy continues as Culture Secretary. Joining them is Kanishka Narayan, who takes on the newly created role of Minister for Artificial Intelligence, having previously overseen AI and online safety as Parliamentary under-secretary, under Sir Keir Starmer at the former Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Together, these appointments bring South Asian voices into key positions at the heart of government, offering not only greater representation but also the prospect of lived experience helping to shape national policy.
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Andy Burnham knows how to bring communities together. Manchester is home to large Hindu and Muslim, Indian and Pakistani communities, and they live together in remarkable harmony. Of course, there may be occasional incidents, as there are in any diverse society, but Manchester stands as a real-life example of how he has helped foster unity and understanding among different communities.
His experience as the MP for Leigh has also shaped this ability. Leigh has a significant Indian and Pakistani population, and he has built strong relationships across these communities, understanding their concerns and bringing people together.
Beyond this, his commitment to representation and inclusion is also reflected in his decision to appoint Kanishka Narayan as the Minister for AI.
-Dr Neeraj Patil, National Chair, Hindus for Labour
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PM Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP has proven track record of working with multifaith communities in the Greater Manchester & the NorthWest .
His speech so far offers hope for all citizens to be fairly treated with transparency.
His long standing in working with many Hindu , Jains and Sikh communities from GM & NW gives him edge to understand problem of safety of places of worship and hopefully offer help in right direction to protect them .
-Er. Trupti Patel FCIHT, MSc. H &T, BEng CE, Visharad Bharatnatyam & Yog
President Hindu Forum of Britain &
Trustee of the HFB Charity
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A new man in No 10, an old mission reborn
When Burnham first sought Labour's leadership in 2015, he presented himself as the candidate who would end the era of austerity and restore an active role for the state. His platform was unapologetically interventionist: reforming taxation, increasing the minimum wage, abolishing zero-hour contracts, empowering councils to borrow and build homes, tackling rising rents, and bringing Britain's railways back into public ownership. More than a decade later, Britain has changed dramatically, but many of the principles underpinning Burnham's vision remain central to his political philosophy.
Now installed as Prime Minister, Burnham has arrived in Downing Street determined to reset both the government and his party. At his first Cabinet meeting, he called on ministers to adopt a "one-team approach", signalling a decisive break from the factional divisions that marked the closing months of Keir Starmer's premiership. By removing several of Starmer's closest allies from senior government positions, Burnham has made clear that his administration intends to chart its own course.
His immediate priority, he says, is easing the financial strain on households. Describing his administration as a "cost-of-living government", Burnham told ministers they should ask themselves every day what practical steps could be taken to reduce pressure on families and restore hope that life is becoming more affordable.
That message was quickly backed by action. His first major policy announcement was an energy bill reduction worth around £45 annually for the average household from October, funded by cancelling the previous government's proposed national digital ID card scheme. Though modest in financial terms, the measure was designed to demonstrate that his government intends to prioritise everyday concerns over expensive state projects.
Burnham enters Number 10 not as a political newcomer but as one of Labour's most experienced figures, having served in multiple Cabinet roles before spending nearly a decade as Mayor of Greater Manchester. Even before formally taking office, he was receiving national security briefings and updates on Britain's struggling steel industry. During the leadership campaign, he reinforced his image as an accessible politician by holding a two-hour public "Ask Me Anything" session on a Welsh high street, answering unscripted questions from voters, a symbolic indication that his government intends to remain connected to public concerns.
His ambitions extend beyond immediate economic relief. Burnham has pledged to govern for every nation and region of the United Kingdom while advancing his long-standing commitment to devolving power away from Westminster through stronger councils, new housing, thriving high streets and improved public services.
Yet his political honeymoon is likely to be brief. He inherits sluggish economic growth, overstretched public services and an increasingly disillusioned electorate. With Nigel Farage's Reform UK positioning itself as the anti-establishment alternative, Burnham faces intense pressure to deliver quickly. Any failure risks strengthening the argument that Britain's traditional parties are no longer capable of governing effectively.
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As Andy Burnham begins his premiership, I believe there are several priorities that will define the years ahead.Business must be at the heart of Government.
Economic growth cannot happen unless businesses have the confidence to invest, recruit, innovate and expand. Confidence comes from stability, certainty and a competitive environment where enterprise is encouraged to flourish.
The United Kingdom remains one of the world's most attractive places to do business. We have exceptional entrepreneurs, world-class universities, leading financial services, and a long history of attracting investment from around the globe.
We must build on those strengths.
International trade must also remain a national priority. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement demonstrates what can be achieved through long-term commitment and collaboration, and we should continue strengthening our relationships with key partners, including Europe and the United States.
Nearly half of our trade is with the European Union, while the United States remains our largest single-country trading partner. Maintaining strong relationships with both is firmly in Britain's national interest.
I would like to thank Sir Keir Starmer for helping to bring the UK-India Free Trade Agreement to fruition. It is a landmark agreement that will create opportunities for businesses, create jobs and strengthen the relationship between our two countries for generations to come.
I wish Prime Minister Andy Burnham every success. I look forward to working with him and his Government to help create the confidence that businesses need to invest, grow and compete, ensuring Britain remains one of the best places in the world to build and do business.
-Lord Karan Bilimoria on LinkedIn
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Keir Starmer bows out, ending a tumultuous premiership
As Keir Starmer stood outside 10 Downing Street for the final time as Prime Minister, there was no attempt at grand theatrics. Instead, he offered a measured farewell — one that sought to frame his premiership as a story of restoration, reform and service.
"Today I am here to offer my resignation and close the book on my time as Prime Minister. My work is done," he declared, bringing the curtain down on a political journey that saw him rebuild Labour from its worst electoral defeat in decades to a commanding general election victory in 2024.
Reflecting on his six-and-a-half years as Labour leader and two years in Downing Street, Starmer argued that Britain had emerged "stronger and fairer" under his leadership. He pointed to a stronger economy, falling NHS waiting times, reduced immigration, improved public services, enhanced national security and Britain's restored international standing as evidence of his government's achievements.
Yet it was not policy that dominated his farewell, but people. Starmer spoke movingly about the privilege of witnessing "immeasurable acts of resolve, grit, decency and compassion" from members of the armed forces, NHS staff and countless volunteers whose quiet service, he said, represented the true strength of Britain.
"We can create a Britain where every child can go as far as their talent will take them," he said, before formally passing "the baton" to Andy Burnham and wishing his successor "every success" with his "full support."
His final words were reserved for those closest to him: his wife Victoria, their children, his staff, civil servants, Labour colleagues and, ultimately, the British public. "I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved," he said.
Starmer leaves office as one of Labour's most consequential, and divisive, modern leaders. Few dispute that he rescued the party from the electoral wilderness after Jeremy Corbyn's tumultuous tenure, steering it away from years of internal factionalism and restoring its credibility with much of the electorate. He also repaired strained relations with India, culminating in the long-awaited UK-India Free Trade Agreement, and sought to strengthen ties with Britain's Hindu community by hosting Diwali and Vaisakhi celebrations at Downing Street. Yet despite those efforts, many within the British Hindu diaspora remained unconvinced, feeling Labour had not fully rebuilt trust.
The promise that underpinned Starmer's rise to power was economic renewal. However, as economic pressures persisted, the government's vision appeared to blur. His authority steadily ebbed through a succession of political reversals. The dilution of Labour's flagship welfare reforms, the damaging U-turn over winter fuel payments, and a growing perception that Downing Street was reacting rather than leading weakened his grip on power. The fallout from the Peter Mandelson controversy, coupled with Labour's bruising local election losses earlier this year, proved politically devastating.
For supporters, Starmer will be remembered as the disciplined lawyer who dragged Labour back into government after years in opposition. For critics, he was a cautious leader whose instinct for compromise gradually became a symbol of indecision. In the end, the man who rebuilt Labour's electability could not sustain confidence in his own leadership, bringing an extraordinary political chapter to a close.
As Sir Keir Starmer prepared to leave Downing Street, No 10 presented him with a parting gift steeped in British history: a silver clock dating from around 1920, crafted by Dent, the renowned clockmaking firm behind Big Ben. The timepiece bears a plaque engraved with the words: “Change promised, change fought for, change delivered. Thank you, Keir – The Cabinet.”
