Six political headaches Andy Burnham must tackle in his first weeks as PM

The Guardian UK Saturday 18 July 2026, 07:00 UTC By Kiran Stacey Policy editor 1 min read

Key Points

From dealing with Trump to easing cost of living, the incoming prime minister is mulling his approach to contentious issuesWhen Labour was preparing for power in 2024, Keir Starmer’s then chief of staff, Sue Gray, compiled what one Labour official called her “shit list” – a dossier of immediate fires the government would have to put out. Gray is back, advising Starmer’s successor, Andy Burnham, in an unofficial capacity. And yet again, she is advising an incoming prime minister on how to...

From dealing with Trump to easing cost of living, the incoming prime minister is mulling his approach to contentious issues

When Labour was preparing for power in 2024, Keir Starmer’s then chief of staff, Sue Gray, compiled what one Labour official called her “shit list” – a dossier of immediate fires the government would have to put out.

Gray is back, advising Starmer’s successor, Andy Burnham, in an unofficial capacity. And yet again, she is advising an incoming prime minister on how to deal with a number of immediate political problems that will need solving in his first few weeks.

Andy Burnham (PERSON) Trump (ORG) Keir Starmer (PERSON) Sue Gray (PERSON) Labour (ORG) Gray (PERSON) Starmer (PERSON)

Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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Six political headaches Andy Burnham must tackle in his first weeks as PM

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