The former Greater Manchester mayor succeeded Sir Keir Starmer to become the UK’s seventh prime minister in a decade.
Andy Burnham dealt humiliating blow on air just days into job (Image: Getty)
Andy Burnham suffered a humiliating blow just ten days into his role as prime minister. This comes as he pledged on Wednesday to succeed where decades of predecessors have failed and fix a “broken” social care system. The Labour leader says tackling patchy access to social care for those needing it due to age, illness or disability is his priority.
The prime minister visited a care home in London where he was met with an unexpected comment. ITV News aired the awkward scenes as he spoke with a care home resident who mistakenly assumed Burnham was a local candidate.
After the Labour leader introduced himself, the resident asked: “And you are a local candidate?” The care workers broke out in laughter, as Burnham replied, “Oh, no.”
He explained: “I was a local candidate. I had a by-election, a few weeks ago, but no, I’m now the prime minister.”
The resident remarked: “You’re what?” as it was explained to him that Burnham had replaced Keir Starmer. “What a new one?” the gentleman asked.
Burnham chuckled: “Another one.”
In a humiliating blow, the care home resident replied: “They keep changing every five minutes.”
Viewers reacted to the hilarious on air moment as they flocked to social media.
One X user wrote: “‘They keep changing every 5 minutes’ is the most honest political commentary you’ll hear all week.”
Another tweeted: “When the Prime Minister is mistaken for a local candidate, the distance between power and the people has become terminal.”
A third typed: “‘You what?’ Is the right reaction. General Election @andyburnham you crafty ladder climber.”
“Even the care home resident has noticed the country is on its third Prime Minister in five minutes. When the public can’t tell the difference between the local candidate and the man running the country, the brand is dead,” a fourth added.
Another said: “Well he’s not wrong! Some genuine feedback for government there.”
Others defended Burnham as one wrote: “Easily done if one doesn’t keep up with politics.”
Another said: “Andy Burnham is a natural at communication. He seems better than Starmer.”
Burnham has definitively ruled out calling an early general election, despite recent speculation in Westminster that he might seek a fresh mandate for his leadership.
In his first major broadcast interview since entering Downing Street, he stated that he would not force voters to the polls nationally before 2029.