Could Burnham call Reform’s bluff and announce a UK general election?

The UK now has its seventh prime minister in a decade, with Andy Burnham — dubbed the ‘King of the North’ — taking over from Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street.

The former mayor of Manchester has pledged a huge shake-up of the sluggish British economy and to restore hope in a country where it has been in short supply.

Burnham moves into the role just two years after Starmer led the British Labour Party to a landslide election victory in 2024 — meaning a general election isn’t required until August 2029 at the latest.

Many in UK Labour see Burnham as a leader who can connect with voters in working-class areas that have flocked to the populist Reform UK.

Meanwhile, Reform is facing trouble of its own, with leader Nigel Farage stepping down to recontest his seat after being embroiled in a political donations scandal.

Farage framed the move as giving everyday people the power to judge his actions, saying it would be a “people versus the establishment by-election”.

However, with Burnham’s appointment providing a boost in the polls for the government, could the new PM call Reform’s bluff and announce a general election?

And to Count Binface, if you’re reading this, please come on the show.

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