Andy Burnham has wasted no time putting his stamp on government, appointing his first cabinet after taking over as Prime Minister and making clear that loyalty during his rise to power has been rewarded.
The new PM had promised before taking office that he would draw from all wings of the Labour Party, pitching himself as a unifying figure who could bring together the left and right of a party that has spent years arguing with itself. In practice though, the reality has been a little more complicated.
Burnham has carried out what many insiders are calling a brutal clearout of figures closely associated with his predecessor Keir Starmer. Several MPs seen as being on the right of the party, or simply too close to the former PM, have found themselves out in the cold. It is the kind of reshuffle that sends a message, and Burnham clearly wanted that message heard loud and clear from day one.
The key positions across government have gone to those who backed Burnham during his push for the top job. From the Treasury to the Home Office, the new PM has installed allies in the posts that matter most, giving himself a cabinet that should, at least in theory, be pulling in the same direction.
Speaking outside Downing Street after his appointment, Burnham described his arrival in power as a “circuit breaker” moment for the country, signalling that he intends to govern differently to those who came before him. Whether that translates into actual policy change or remains political rhetoric is something voters will be watching closely.
His first speech on the steps of Number 10 set a tone that was noticeably different to the cautious, managerial style that came to define the Starmer years. Burnham leaned into his northern roots and his record running Greater Manchester, presenting himself as someone who understands what life is like outside the Westminster bubble.
For those who lost their jobs in the reshuffle, the mood will be considerably less celebratory. A number of experienced ministers who served under Starmer have been moved out, and some of those departures are likely to cause friction in the months ahead. Sacked ministers rarely stay quiet for long, and with a parliamentary party that contains plenty of different viewpoints, Burnham will need to manage those tensions carefully.
The cabinet he has assembled reflects a particular vision of what the Labour Party should look like under his leadership. Whether that vision is broad enough to keep the whole party onside remains to be seen, but for now Burnham has the momentum of a new administration behind him and the goodwill that tends to come with a fresh start in government.
All eyes will now turn to what his cabinet actually does. Appointments are one thing, but the real test comes when difficult decisions land on the table and ministers have to make choices that will affect people across England and the wider UK. Burnham has set expectations high with his opening words. Delivering on them is the harder part.