Burnham rules out general election in next 12 months

Andy Burnham has ruled out calling a general election in the next 12 months. A general election is the nationwide vote for every seat in the House of Commons, the main chamber of Parliament at Westminster. The next one must be held by August 2029.

Mr Burnham became Labour leader and prime minister after Keir Starmer quit. He had first entered Parliament in June, when he won the Makerfield by-election, a vote to fill a single seat.

Speaking on 26 October, Mr Burnham said there would be no British election "any time soon", according to Reuters. He said his focus was on governing. He also ruled out an early election in the wake of the Budget, as the Telegraph reported. Dismissing the idea, he said: "I'm going to rule it out... I don't think people want it."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had suggested that Mr Burnham may call an early general election. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said in September that he believed there would be a general election next spring. Mr Burnham denied speculation that he would call one in spring 2027.

Mr Burnham has also promised to keep to Labour's 2024 manifesto red lines, the commitments set out in the party's election manifesto, for the whole of this Parliament. Those lines cover EU freedom of movement, the single market and the customs union, which are the EU's trading arrangements.

On spending, Mr Burnham said a 10-year plan will inform the spending review next year. The spending review is the government's process for setting departmental budgets.