Politics · United Kingdom · 7 hrs ago
Nicola Sturgeon says she wants Andy Burnham to succeed as prime minister
Nicola Sturgeon said she wants Andy Burnham to succeed as prime minister and believes the whole UK needs him to do well.
Sturgeon is a former first minister of Scotland, while Burnham is a Labour leader who has urged the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to work with the UK government.
Her support contrasts with John Swinney’s prediction that Burnham would be the United Kingdom’s last prime minister.
Sturgeon said the public would soon become angry if the government did not take further action after the Budget.
She said Burnham should use his political goodwill to deliver on promises, including reforming social care and improving relations with the European Union.
She also criticised Chancellor John Healey’s television interview, saying she felt frustrated by his answers.
Whether the government delivers on its promises remains to be seen, and Sturgeon said the response to the Budget was still uncertain.
Nicola Sturgeon said she wants Andy Burnham to succeed as prime minister because she believes the whole of the UK needs him to do well.
The former Scottish first minister said Burnham had significant political goodwill and should use it to deliver on his promises.
She said it was too early to judge how Burnham and Chancellor John Healey had handled the Budget.
Sturgeon made the comments during an appearance on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
Her remarks came after Burnham called on the devolved leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to work with the UK Government.
- Who
- Nicola Sturgeon said she wants Andy Burnham to succeed as prime minister.
- What
- She expressed support for Burnham’s success while saying he needed to deliver on his promises.
- When
- 1 November 2026, during an appearance on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
- Where
- The BBC programme; the article does not state where the appearance was filmed.
- Why
- Sturgeon said the whole of the UK needed Burnham to succeed.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Burnham said in his Labour conference speech that he was determined to prove Swinney wrong.
Burnham urged the devolved leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to put politics aside and work in partnership with the UK Government at a meeting of his National Economic Council in Glasgow.
Sturgeon said on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that she wanted Burnham to succeed as prime minister.
- Poll on Sturgeon's account
- 59 per cent of respondents did not believe she had no knowledge of her husband’s crimes; 23 per cent believed her.
- Peter Murrell's sentence
- Five years and three months in jail.
- Money Murrell admitted embezzling
- More than £400,000 from the SNP.
- Scotland's finances
- Rachael Hamilton said the SNP had presided over a £5 billion hole.
What people are saying
I find myself wanting him to do well, wanting him to succeed, because I think the entirety of the UK needs that to happen.
He’s got this enormous stock of political capital and goodwill, he needs to get on and use it.
The jury’s out
utterly determined