Suddenly the British right feels a political chill. It’s getting cold in Andy Burnham’s shadow | Rafael Behr
Andy Burnham has become the new Labour prime minister, prompting a reassessment within the British right. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has invoked 1970s nostalgia to criticize Burnham’s policies, while Reform UK’s Nigel Farage questions Burnham’s mandate. The article examines Burnham’s Manchester mayoral record and his approach to devolving power as a contrast to traditional Tory positions.
- ▪Andy Burnham, formerly mayor of Manchester, assumed the role of prime minister and promotes a partnership model between government and business.
- ▪Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, criticised Burnham by referencing economic conditions of the 1970s and invoking Thatcher-era rhetoric.
- ▪Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has expressed skepticism about Burnham’s mandate and is reluctant to call for a general election.
- ▪The article suggests that the opposition parties are struggling to formulate a coherent response to Burnham’s policy agenda, highlighting a period of uncertainty for the British right.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — Politics |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/29/british-right-political-chill-andy-burnham-tories-reform-keir-starmer |
| Publication time | Wed, 29 Jul 2026 05:00:23 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-07-29T05:16:32.120Z |
| Last seen | 2026-07-29T05:16:32.120Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Illustration: Guardian Design/GettyView image in fullscreen Illustration: Guardian Design/GettyOpinionAndy BurnhamSuddenly the British right feels a political chill. It’s getting cold in Andy Burnham’s shadowRafael BehrThe Tories and Reform had it easy when Keir Starmer was self-destructing – but a new PM with ideas exposes how vacant the opposition has becomeWed 29 Jul 2026 01.00 EDTShareAndy Burnham’s recollections of Britain in the 1970s must be pretty hazy. He was nine when the decade ended. Kemi Badenoch, born in 1980, can remember nothing. Lacking first-hand experience, the Conservative leader evokes the turmoil of a bygone era with cautionary zeal borrowed from an older generation.
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