Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has demanded that a general election be called in the wake of the Labour Party installing socialist Andy Burnham as Prime Minister without a mandate from the British public.
One day after yet another Prime Minsiter was put into power without popular consent, opposition leader Nigel Farage appeared in Norfolk on Tuesday morning, flanked by two giant screens featuring a 2022 tweet from then-Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham demanding a general election on the day that former Tory PM Liz Truss announced her resignation, after which Rishi Sunak was installed in Downing Street without a vote.
However, now the beneficiary of such Westminster insider political machinations, Mr Brunham does not appear to be so interested in holding a general election, particularly in light of the fact that Mr Farage’s party has held a commanding lead over the Labour Party for over a year. Rather than putting himself before the voters, Burnham has announced a Soviet-style “ten-year plan” to save the country and mark the most radical change in British politics in the past 40 years.
The plan, which has yet to be fully unveiled, will undoubtedly stray from the 2024 Labour Party manifesto, upon which his government came to power, and thus the promises made to the public will inevitably be sidelined or altered to fit the vision of the new leader.
Mr Farage lamented the “endless game of musical chairs taking place in Downing Street” and said that Burnham must not be allowed to enact sweeping change without the consent of the people.
“He became the leader of the Labour Party unopposed… This man has no mandate whatsoever,” the Reform chief remarked. “He didn’t stand on the 2024 general election manifesto.”
“You cannot make the biggest change in British politics in 40 years without a mandate from the British people. And it will be only decent, right, and proper to call a general election on that issue and to do it now,” Farage said.
“Otherwise, kind of what’s the point of general elections? I mean, we used to laugh at the Italians, didn’t we? And now we’ve had seven prime ministers in Downing Street in the space of 10 years.”
The speech from Mr Farage came as Prime Minsiter Burnham held his first official Cabinet Meeting after making changes from the former Starmer government, notably sacking Deputy PM David Lammy, Attorney General Lord Hermer, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
On Monday evening, it was confirmed that former Defence Secretary John Healey would serve as Chancellor and therefore be responsible for righting the British economy after sensationally resigning from Starmer’s government last month over concerns about military budget cuts.
Meanwhile, former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, who was forced to resign in disgrace in 2024 after it emerged that she had been previously convicted of fraud over a false police report, will become the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, from which she is expected to lead the push for Burnham’s priorities in the Whitehall deepstate.
Another controversial selection was former Deputy PM Angela Rayner, who will be returned to the housing secretary role, despite being accused of failing to pay full tax on her second home.
However, perhaps the most controversial selection may be moving far-left Ed Miliband from his post as Net Zero czar to Foreign Secretary. According to London’s Daily Telegraph, the Trump administration is reportedly concerned that Britain’s top diplomat may become a point of “friction” given his radical devotion to so-called green energy.
Nevertheless, President Trump was magnanimous in his first interactions with the new left-wing British leader, writing on Truth Social: “I had a very good conversation with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham. We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK.
“We will be meeting in the not too distant future for topics of mutual interest. The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help! We discussed North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait, and many other topics. The call was interesting, and went very well. I wished Prime Minister Burnham, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED!”
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