New PM Andy Burnham Promises Education Change to get Young People into Work

Andy Burnham used his first speech as Prime Minister to promise that more young people will be helped into work by changing the education system, as he pledged a “circuit breaker” government delivering the biggest changes in Britain in 40 years.

Burnham was appointed by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace this morning, shortly after Sir Keir Starmer tendered his resignation. He becomes the seventh prime minister since 2016, a fact he addressed directly outside Number 10.

“I am acutely conscious that I am the sixth person in the last ten years to walk up this street, the seventh prime minister since 2016, making this a moment for reflection and new resolution,” he said. “It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge.”

Addressing public frustration with politics, he added:

“I hear you and I want to be honest with you, we have not been good enough and we need to be better. We will be.”

Education change to bring down the welfare bill

Setting out early priorities on the cost of living, the new Prime Minister said more young people would be helped into work by changing the education system, with more support available including mental health support.

He framed building more council homes as the “fair and sustainable way” to bring the welfare bill down, and committed to immediate action on homelessness: “I will issue my first instruction to end rough sleeping in our country.”

Cost of living measures will begin tomorrow. “I can do something to give people some breathing space now, some help with the cost of living. And I will set out some of those measures starting tomorrow, including how we pay for them.”

A ten year plan and power in “every postcode”

Burnham said his government would act as “a circuit breaker for Britain, bringing forward the biggest changes in the last 40 years”, promising “a new political model and a new economic model”.

He argued Britain took “some wrong turns” in the 1980s, when political power was centralised, economic power privatised and large parts of the country deindustrialised. Many areas, he said, still have not recovered.

“We will change politics, to make it more collaborative, more about problem solving than point scoring. And we will take power out of here and carry it into every postcode in the land so that they can do more.”

He pledged to put “life’s essentials back under stronger public control to make them affordable to you again”, to reindustrialise Britain and to back British industry.

Later this year, Burnham will publish a ten year plan for Britain, laying out “a path from where we are now to where I believe we all want Britain to be, wherever we’re coming from, whatever party we support”.

Closing the speech, Burnham promised to put “the right values and right standards at the heart of government”, telling the crowd that “the care of people will be at the heart of everything I will do”.

“I will give this my all,” he said, urging the public to stand by him in building “a new national sense of unity” and calling this the moment “when Britain starts to believe again, the moment we bring back hope”.

Burnham, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester and a former Health Secretary, returned to Parliament as MP for Makerfield on 22 June and was confirmed as Labour leader unopposed on 17 July. Cabinet appointments are expected later today, with the sector watching closely for the education brief.

Cabinet Reshuffle for Education, Skills, Employability and Welfare

Pat McFadden Retained as the Work and Pensions Secretary

Pat McFadden, has been reappointed / retained as the Work and Pensions Secretary in Andy Burnham’s cabinet. On his Twitter account, McFadden said: “I’m honoured to have been reappointed as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. As the Prime Minister said, our mission as a government must be to support people into work and spread opportunity. That’s how we’ll reform the welfare system in a way that is fair and sustainable.”

Lucy Powell is appointed Education Secretary

Lucy Powell is appointed Education Secretary in Andy Burnham’s new cabinet. Lucy Powell takes over the role from Bridget Phillipson (who remains Minister for Women and Equalities). Lucy Powell has held the position of Deputy Leader of the Labour Party since 2025. Between July 2024 and September 2025, she held the roles of Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council. She has represented Manchester Central as its Member of Parliament (MP) since 2012… so she has worked with Andy Burnham in Manchester.

Lucy Powell was born in Moss Side, Manchester. She attended Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury, before studying A-levels at Xaverian College. She went on to study at the University of Oxford, studying chemistry at Somerville College. She was the only pupil in her Sixth Form to receive an offer from the University of Oxford. However, she left Oxford after one year and transferred into the second year of a chemistry degree at King’s College London.

On 13 September 2015, Lucy Powell was appointed Shadow Education Secretary by Jeremy Corbyn, succeeding Tristram Hunt. In this role, she argued for bringing free schools and academies under Local Education Authority control.

In February 2026, Powell criticised the student loan repayment system, focusing in particular on the high interest rates applied to Plan 2 loans, which she branded “unfair” and “egregious”. She argued that the way repayments were structured left many graduates facing what she called an “endless” burden, while acknowledging that substantial reform would carry significant fiscal implications for the government. Her comments followed Rachel Reeves’s defence of the existing system as “fair”, made in response to protests organised by the National Union of Students.

Could Powell be part of the new, yet to be unpacked, Number 10 North team in Manchester? Or will her role sit between Manchester and London? We’re yet to see. New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has spoken of a “circuit breaker” moment and a new political and economic model… with Powell’s long-term Manchester roots, could she be part of that new Number 10 North team?

Commenting on the appointment of Lucy Powell as Education Secretary, Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“We’re sorry to see Bridget Phillipson leave the role of Education Secretary. She has sought to work constructively with the education sector and has championed policies designed to support children who face the greatest challenges. Those priorities reflect the values of school and college leaders who are striving every day to create a fairer society where opportunities are available to all and are not limited by background. In particular, she deserves credit for her work on tackling the appallingly high level of child poverty in the UK, and for bringing forward plans to improve support for children with special educational needs. While there are many challenges in delivering those plans, she has started a process which is long overdue in making the system work better for everyone involved.

“Unfortunately, her ambitions have been undermined by public spending decisions which have left schools and colleges desperately short of the funding they need, and this has been compounded by the implementation of a flawed inspection system which is putting disproportionate pressure on education staff. As a result, workforce morale is at rock bottom.

“We welcome Lucy Powell to the role of Education Secretary. She will face a major challenge in better matching the many expectations on schools and colleges with the resources necessary to deliver those expectations, as well as addressing the impact of an accountability system which is driving people out of the profession and damaging mental health and wellbeing. It also seems likely that she will have the task of implementing a new direction in education policy.

“Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that a ‘complete rethink’ of education is needed which builds parity between academic and technical routes and provides every young person with great opportunities. This is particularly important as we currently have one million young people who are not in education, employment, or training. However, a great deal of policy detail is needed about how to turn those aspirations into reality. School and college leaders are absolutely ready and willing to be part of that process and we look forward to working with the new administration to shape a fairer future.”

Commenting as Lucy Powell is announced by Andy Burnham as the new Education Secretary, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“We congratulate Andy Burnham on becoming Prime Minister and congratulate Lucy Powell on her appointment as Education Secretary.

“It is clear that during Bridget Phillipson’s time at the helm of the Department for Education, considerable progress has been made.

“The education White Paper set a vision for education that we have not seen for well over a decade, and there has been some new funding for schools, improvements to pay, action on poverty, and a commitment to finally grasping the nettle and reforming the broken SEND system.

“Bridget has shown passion and commitment to schools, and while we thank her for her endeavours, we need the new government to commit to going further in ensuring schools are empowered and supported to deliver for pupils.

“Too many schools feel ill-equipped to go about their core business, let alone deliver changes to SEND support and the curriculum. They are still struggling to set budgets and recruit and retain teachers, large parts of the school estate remain in a poor condition, and a circuit-breaker to fundamentally reset Ofsted inspections, which continue to pose real dangers to the health and wellbeing of school leaders and their staff, is urgently needed.

“Addressing these things will need the buy-in of not just the education secretary but also the new PM and Chancellor. Amid so many competing demands, it’s absolutely vital that education is a top priority across government and receives the sustained investment it deserves, because little can be more important than children’s learning, wellbeing and life chances.”

Chief Executive of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust Kate Ambrosi commented:

“Congratulations to Lucy Powell MP on being appointed the new Education Secretary. We also welcome back Pat McFadden MP as Work and Pensions Secretary.

“Their departments will be absolutely pivotal for delivering on the priorities of the Burnham government. Not just getting more young people into work and improving their mental health, but ending rough sleeping and building a new generation of council homes.

“All of these priorities will require a skilled workforce so we need more and better technical education in school to prepare young people for work so they can thrive in life.

“Too many young people are reaching age 18 without knowing what pathways are open to them and without the technical skills and workplace attitudes to follow them. This prevents them from progressing onto apprenticeships and technical university places. We also need more of those so young people can gain the advanced knowledge and skills for which industries such as manufacturing are crying out.

“Andy Burnham has been a strong supporter of the University Technical Collegesecondary schools that we support, and which send around a fifth of leavers into apprenticeships each year – with just five per cent of leavers becoming NEET. He has also worked with us on developing an award for his Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) and supported opening UTC Sleeves in Greater Manchester. UTC Sleeves, created by Baker Dearing, involve developing a high-quality, employer-led technical education pathway within a mainstream school. Both the UTC Sleeve and MBacc Award are aimed at creating for young people a clear and consistent line of sight from classroom to career. 

“We will be pushing Lucy Powell and Pat McFadden to continue in Whitehall the support Andy Burnham showed as mayor for the UTC programme and technical education opportunities.”

Sector Reaction on Andy Burnham Becoming Prime Minister

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: 

“The National Education Union welcomes the appointment of the new Prime Minister and looks forward to working with him and his government.  

“Upon becoming Labour leader on Friday, Andy Burnham said his government would be all about delivering hope for every young person. 

“Educators will welcome this statement. Although teachers, support staff and school leaders do their best every day to achieve the very best outcomes for children and young people, after over a decade of austerity and chronic underfunding in our schools they feel that they are forced to do their jobs with one hand tied behind their backs. They have had enough of being told to do more with less. 

“Delivering hope will require an end to unfunded pay awards that do not value educators and only serve to fuel the retention crisis in education.  

“Delivering hope will mean that good intentions on SEND reforms are coupled with the investment that is so desperately needed to make them a success.   

“On Friday our national executive confirmed a formal ballot in the autumn on pay and funding. It is simply not sustainable to continue to underfund pay offers – it can only translate into cuts to learning. Schools are already on their knees. 

“As the academic year draws to a close, the new Prime Minister offers some hope for a fresh start and the delivery of the change that so many voters cried out for at the last election.” 

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“We welcome Andy Burnham to the role of Prime Minister, and we look forward to working with his administration. We would encourage him to make education a national priority. It is too often seen as a cost which can be cut when it should be seen as an investment in the young people of the country and in providing the knowledge and skills for a thriving economy. We will not be internationally competitive in the future if we do not commit now to long-term strategic funding to ensure the best possible support and opportunities for all our children and young people. We know that the new Prime Minister is committed to reducing the very high number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training. We know that he wants to provide parity between academic and technical routes. We all share those ambitions, and we are committed to supporting him and his administration on developing the policy detail which will turn those aspirations into reality.”

Kate Ambrosi, Chief Executive of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, commented:

“We welcome Andy Burnham becoming Prime Minister and wish him the best of luck.

“As mayor, he was a strong supporter of technical education opportunities, including through the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate. We hope he brings this enthusiasm to Whitehall.

“Andy Burnham has spoken about helping more young people into work after, on Friday, calling for parity of esteem between academic and technical education routes, something he strived for through the Baccalaureate. The government needs to focus much more heavily on technical education. Not just to rebalance the scales between routes, but so there are greater technical opportunities than academic.

“Young people need more direct pathways into employment: more apprenticeships, more technical university places, more scholarships and bursaries for shortage occupations.

“They also need to be prepared at school for employment. Too many young people are reaching age 18 without knowing what pathways are open to them and without the technical skills and workplace attitudes to follow them.

“Andy Burnham has been a strong supporter of the University Technical College secondary school network that we support, and which send around a fifth of leavers into apprenticeships each year – with just five per cent of leavers becoming NEET. He has also supported the UTC Sleeve initiative which we created. UTC Sleeves involve developing a high-quality, employer-led technical education pathway within a mainstream school.

“The new Prime Minister supported developing UTC Sleeves in Greater Manchester and we will be pushing for his support for a nationwide rollout of this initiative, to tackle the country’s youth unemployment crisis.”

Neil Carberry, REC Chief Executive, said: 

“Andy Burnham comes to office with the good wishes of the business community. His commitment to being pro-business is welcome – but now firms across the country need to see action. Over the past few years, businesses have seen a swathe of well-intentioned policies raise costs and dampen hiring, contributing to the rising cost of living people face.

“It’s time to back business. That means inserting pragmatism into the unworkable elements of the government’s employment law changes, reducing the tax wedge on hiring people, and re-invigorating the industrial strategy with the kind of skills, planning and infrastructure reforms that will get private capital working.

“Government cannot solve all the problems we face, but it can create an environment that enables the private sector to play a much bigger role as part of the solution. That’s the chance businesses want to see from this new Prime Minister.”

Paul Whiteman general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“We congratulate Andy Burnham on becoming Prime Minister.

“His welcome commitment outside Downing Street to ‘investing in people’s success’ must start in childhood and in our schools.

“It must mean more investment and support in schools, their leaders and their staff. Despite the progress that has been made during the first two years of this Labour government when it comes to funding, pay and action on poverty, too many schools are still struggling to deliver the support children deserve.

“We welcome the new PM’s recognition that university is not for everyone, and that all young people need support to succeed. It’s important that any further changes to vocational options and routes are delivered in collaboration with schools and colleges, and build upon the changes being implemented as a result of the curriculum and assessment review.

“Education is so important for children’s happiness, learning and life chances, and it must be prioritised by the new PM and across government from day one of his premiership.”

Sarah Beale, AAT CEO said:

“It’s fantastic to see Andy Burham mention the importance of establishing an education system based on parity between academic and technical routes, not once, but twice, in his major speeches before entering Number 10. Now the hard work begins to make sure this happens. 

“AAT looks forward to working with Burnham and his team to ensure vocational pathways get the support and prominence they need. This is essential to achieve the vision the Prime Minister has set out: to give every young person growing up in different parts of the country a path into a good job, no matter what route they take.”