Beyond Biden and Brexit: Andy Burnham’s Path to Rebuilding the Center-Left
U.S. Democrats should watch closely for their own inspiration.
By Johan Hassel
Andy Burnham will provide the United Kingdom with a second chance for change as “Manchesterism” takes the reins of the Labour Party. He should waste no time as he enters the prime minister’s office. Burnham ought to look to his global peers as he sets his agenda, but U.S. Democrats should also watch closely for their own inspiration. Manchesterism — Burnham’s signature economic strategy during his time as mayor of Manchester in northwest England — combines economic development with social benefits. It’s a direct response to a loss of trust in political delivery and capacity — a skepticism facing not only on the center left in the U.K. but also government as a whole.
By posturing himself as an anti-establishment figure rooted deeply within a community, Burnham has successfully demanded both authenticity and accountability in leadership. These tenets helped him win his election in Makerfield while crucially pushing back against the growth of the Reform Party. This victory gives him and Manchesterism a legitimate mandate to govern and return political momentum to Labour.
Burnham must hit the ground running. Facing an exhausted and fractured electorate, the new prime minister enters an unforgiving political landscape in a country desperate for immediate, impactful leadership. Consequently, Burnham’s economic strategy for growth and fiscal policy must be his first priority. Beyond the political chatter surrounding who will become chancellor, Burnham needs to lay out a clear mission that renews confidence in the U.K.’s future. Fortunately, he does not have to start from scratch; clear examples of progressive leadership around the world exist to inform and inspire his first 100 days.
The Cost of Living
Burnham has promised to “end the neoliberal agenda” by reinvesting directly in government, services, and local communities. Stimulating domestic demand is an underestimated way to grow an economy from the bottom up — standing in sharp contrast to trickle-down economics. However, it must be matched with strategic investments that increase long-term competitiveness.
Under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s leadership, Australia has prioritized addressing a key generational affordability challenge: housing accessibility. Australia’s 20 percent reduction on all student debt ensures inflation does not kill educational prospects, and targeted childcare subsidies allow young people to believe in their financial future.
Other global leaders offer blueprints for housing and economic relief:
New York City: Mayor Zohran Mamdani has proved the popularity and effectiveness of rent stabilization when paired with an aggressive, $22 billion “block by block” municipal building plan.
The Netherlands: Prime Minister Rob Jetten has championed the planned creation of ten new cities to directly tackle the housing crisis and expand what politics can achieve.
Canda: Prime Minister Mark Carney has set out a plan for 500,000 new homes to “Build Canada Strong.”
Australia: Albanese’s “Homes for Australia” initiative plans for 1.2 million new homes by the end of the decade.
These initiatives do more than just tackle housing crises; they drive economic growth, as every construction project creates multiple spin-off jobs. It is through the lens of housing that younger generations determine whether they believe in a better future. For center-left parties in the U.K. or the U.S. struggling to reach young voters, this issue is paramount.
Furthermore, Carney and Albanese have also successfully integrated targeted tax cuts for working people alongside financial relief programs for healthcare and groceries into their cost-of-living agendas. The critical blunder of the Biden administration was its failure to sufficiently address immediate cost-of-living anxieties, even while getting its long-term industrial investments right.
Innovation for Economic Growth
To increase competitiveness and spark growth, the U.K. should blend the principles of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act — specifically investments in clean energy, infrastructure, re-industrialization, and chip manufacturing — with the Mario Draghi plan for European competitiveness, which emphasizes massive investments in innovation, the green transition, and energy independence.
Alongside Stockholm, London serves as the Silicon Valley of Europe. When the rest of world seeks to move away from reliance on a handful of tech superpowers, Burnham has a massive opportunity to elevate the U.K.’s tech industry, forge new global partnerships, and boost exports. U.S. Democrats should see this as an invitation to remain confident in the strong pieces of the Biden legacy while learning from the cost-of-living agendas outlined by fellow center-left leaders.
The United States and U.K. countries have historically underinvested in adult human capital, which is one reason the far-right holds a strong grip on working-class voters. To counter this, Burnham should turn to an idea long championed by Nordic countries: “flexicurity.” This framework recognizes that a truly competitive economy comes from investing in people rather than protecting obsolete jobs, ensuring the unemployed are provided with robust financial support alongside the modern skills training required to re-enter the workforce. As AI increasingly impacts the labor market, this philosophy is truer than ever.
Values Based Domestic Security
A central tension in modern global politics is the individual loss of control and security. The far-right has effectively weaponized this anxiety around the issue of migration. Too often, mainstream analysts misinterpret this weaponization as a blanket public rejection of immigrants.
Public opinion studies from 2023 and 2024 conducted by Global Progress Action provide a clear picture of what a viable future looks like. Citizens firmly expect the state to control migration and retain the capacity to deport dangerous or criminal entities. However, migration that contributes directly to economic growth and strengthens a country’s social fabric is broadly welcomed. This suggests that much of the backlash is rooted in concerns over governance and security rather than a flat rejection of newcomers.
Citizens want migration policies that support both the communities receiving immigrants and the migrants themselves. They want an assurance that effective intake will not disrupt local welfare and support systems, managed by a government with the foresight to balance that equilibrium. While communities may change demographically, the role of government in ensuring safety and opportunity must remain absolute.
Economic Strategy for a New World Order
In a shifting global economic landscape, the most critical relationships for Andy Burnham to cultivate will be with Berlin, Paris, and Brussels. Though the massive economic mistake of Brexit is widely recognized by political pundits and London taxi drivers alike, it’s fair to say the U.K. has begun a long-term path toward closer alignment.
Moving the U.K. as close to the European Union as possible through defense cooperation, trade agreements, and integration into the European market will be integral to growing the economy over the long term. Today, Burnham has a unique opportunity to position the U.K. as a vital piece of the EU’s long-term economic strategy regarding security, energy, industrial tech, and global trade.
Conclusion
Andy Burnham has a distinct opportunity to put to rest any doubts regarding the Labour Party’s capacity to deliver. By starting with transparency, a clear agenda, and an unyielding focus on everyday quality of life, he can change the narrative.
“Manchesterism” could very well signal the start of a vibrant new political era in the U.K. — provided Burnham maintains his signature local approach to delivery while making national decisions with a truly global mindset. Labour won a landslide election through bold politics; now Burnham needs to prove that the party can do the same in government. The world is watching, especially in Washington, D.C.
Johan Hassel is a senior fellow and director of global progress action at the Center for American Progress Action.
I might’ve left this comment somewhere else without meaning to, but I read recently, in the last couple of days where Nigel Farage is making a comeback with voters in the UK. I have no idea if that’s right but I’m just throwing it out there as information.