Burnham to promise MPs he will unlock ‘positivity’ in first Commons statement as PM

Andy Burnham will face MPs in the Commons for the first time as prime minister on Wednesday, six weeks after taking office. The appearance will also mark his return to the dispatch box as a minister after more than 16 years.

Burnham is expected to bring an upbeat message to a chamber known for confrontation. His first weeks in office have been marked by a rapid series of policy announcements, which have generally received a favorable response and improved Labour’s standing in the polls.

He will chair cabinet in the morning before making a ministerial statement in the Commons after 3:30 p.m. Prime ministerial statements usually address a defined issue, such as a major policy decision or a foreign affairs crisis. The briefing ahead of Burnham’s appearance indicates that he will instead deliver a broad-ranging statement.

The setting will come as MPs return to Westminster after the summer recess. For Burnham, the return follows a period that has brought political momentum and a stronger polling position for Labour.