Political Parallels
The situation that the Labour Party finds itself in today has similarities to the situation Bill Clinton and the Democrats found themselves after the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which saw Newt Gingrich and the congressional Republicans win a huge victory against the incumbent Democratic Party.
With the help of political consultant Dick Morris, Bill Clinton was able to turn his political fortunes around and win a landslide re-election to the American presidency in 1996.
His electoral recovery strategy included a focus on "small bore" issues and on fast forwarding the most popular parts of the Republican agenda.
The Burnham administration should focus on delivering fast, easily achievable and highly visible policy initiatives that can positively be experienced by voters almost immediately.
Long term structural change is important but voters need to have more faith in government than they do now to buy into such changes.
The Burnham administration needs to focus on highly tangible policies that people can directly experience making their day to day lives much easier.
An idea of such a policy would be a focus on delivering After School Activities, similar to the programs pioneered by Arnold Schwarzenegger in California.
This could also be funded by Corporate Social Responsibility programs of some of those companies that do big business with the state, as a way of them paying back to society and also ensuring they keep their government contracts.
Andy Burnham knows the political benefits of tangible policies from his experience with the Bee Network in Manchester.
Location, Location, Location
Diffusing power from Whitehall is essential if Britain is to be run by its elected representatives and not unelected apparatchiks of the administrative state.
Boris Johnson might have carried the can for Partygate but the flagrant rule breaking was endemic amongst the rule makers of Whitehall, who enjoyed lockdowns because they did not have to deal with those whom they perceived as pesky members of the public.
The problem with Boris was that he failed to stamp his authority down with these bureaucrats at the outset of his premiership and it was agents of the bureaucracy who helped facilitate his downfall.
Theresa May's Brexit negotiations were such a failure because she was led by the out-of-touch Civil Service, instead of leading them.
Rachel Reeves was strongarmed by Treasury officials into the fateful Winter Fuel Allowance cuts. The failure to stand up to that politically toxic suggestion set in motion the eventual end of Keir Starmer's government because his premiership never fully recovered after that.
The Prime Minister is supposed to be the Tribune of the People, whereas the Cabinet Secretary is simply the Chief Agent of the Administrative State.
However, in Downing Street, the Prime Minister is often relegated to having a modest office at the back of the building, while the Cabinet Secretary works from a palatial room overlooking St. James's Park.
One way for Prime Minister Burnham to visually symbolise where power lies in his administration would be to take the Cabinet Secretary's office for himself and to move the Cabinet Secretary to a modest office at the back of the building.
Hope Votes
Many Britons are struggling. We are in an affordability crisis, whilst experiencing slow growth.
To many, getting ahead seems impossible.
Andy Burnham has promised to restore hope to those Forgotten Britons.
One of the reasons that President Trump won a historic re-election, in 2024, is because he ran a campaign heavy on vibes.
After a decade of turmoil, Britons want to feel positive about the future again.
Andy Burnham is right to recognise the power of optimism in politics. He must continue with promoting positive vibes.
Andy Burnham also seems ready to back up his positive outlook with practical policies. Early reporting on his administration's agenda gives reason for optimism.
He is set to cut energy costs by announcing new North Sea oil exploration for oil and gas.
He is set to address the housing shortage, through freeing up unused public land, on which new social and affordable housing shall be built.
Hopefully, Andy Burnham will make Britain work better for us. All of us.