Andy Burnham faces some key moments, thorny issues, and headaches left over from the old regime that will require close attention after he walks through the famous No10 black door14:03, 19 Jul 2026Andy Burnham will set out his vision for the country during his first address to the nation as Prime Minister in less than 24 hours.‌After walking through the famous black door on Monday, the new Labour leader will be welcomed by officials and a string of congratulatory calls from world leaders.‌He will also announce the make-up of his Cabinet and receive briefings from his new team in No10 on national security and his economic inheritance. But he faces some key moments, thorny issues, and headaches left over from the old regime that will require close attention.‌Here The Mirror looks at some of the hurdles facing the new Prime Minister.1. Cabinet announcementsIn the minutes and hours after his first speech to the nation as Prime Minister expect a flurry of announcements from Downing Street as Andy Burnham assembles his top team.Westminster has been awash with speculation - particularly over the role of Chancellor - but the new leader has attempted to keep the Cabinet roles a closely guarded secret.‌Expect roles for current Cabinet ministers including Ed Miliband, Shabana Mahmood, and Yvette Cooper. There will also be a return of senior Labour figures including ex-Deputy PM Angela Rayner and Louise Haigh - a close ally of Mr Burnham who is expected to be rewarded with a Cabinet role.The new Prime Minister will then hold his first full meeting of the Cabinet - likely on Tuesday.‌But assembling Cabinets also risks alienating colleagues. There will always be many left disappointed and Keir Starmer’s allies - many of whom may find themselves without a role - could be left with a bitter taste in their mouth.2. Measures to combat cost of living crisisAndy Burnham will make clear he wants to give people breathing space as the cost of living continues to bite in his first address to the country.Allies of the new leader have said he will seek early policy wins to make people’s lives easier with imminent measures to ease the cost-of-living squeeze.‌Just last week Burnham adviser Miatta Fahnbulleh said: "Everyone recognises that people are under pressure, living standards have not risen and we have to grip that. And that means dealing with the cost of living in the short term to give people some respite."It is the issue that consistently ranks at the top of voters’ concerns and one of the biggest challenges the new government faces.‌There have been reassuring words, but how exactly Mr Burnham plans to tackle issues including a hike in energy bills remains to be seen and many households are yet to feel the full domestic hit of Donald Trump’s reckless war with Iran.There is speculation he is considering plans to cut bills by £130 per year, which would be a welcome respite for many cash-strapped households.3. Crisis-hit Thames WaterCrisis-hit Thames Water could be a first major first test for the incoming PM.‌The Environment Secretary, Emma Reynolds, recently warned she did not believe the plan to relieve the stricken utility goes far enough to protect customers.There were claims over the weekend Mr Burnham’s new government could act quickly to push the firm into a special form of administration.‌Mr Burnham recently said public ownership of water companies should “absolutely be an option” on the table for the government. His deputy, Lucy Powell, also made clear the “privatisation of water hasn't worked” with bills going up and a lack of competition in the market.4. Labour conferenceA key moment for the new PM will come towards the end of September at Labour's annual conference in Liverpool.It will be an opportunity for Mr Burnham to set out his vision to the country - but with activists and ambitious MPs gathered for the four-day affair, there are many possible pitfalls.‌Just last year the gathering was dominated by speculation about the PM's leadership - and it had in part been fuelled by an interview Mr Burnham gave, which made clear his own ambitions.A year on and he will not only be back in Liverpool as Labour leader, but as Prime Minister.The summer recess - where Mr Burnham is to embark on a listening tour across the UK - will be used to prepare him for conference season and the return of Parliament September.‌Tactics for his sparring sessions with Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister's Questions will be thrashed out before ramping up preparations for the moment he could've only dreamed of last year: Labour leader speech at conference.5. Global volatility - and Donald TrumpGlobal volatility and Donald Trump were a constant headache for Keir Starmer.The relationship between the two world leaders became increasingly tense, especially after the White House went to war with Iran and hit the cost of living at home.‌There may be little difference between Mr Trump and Mr Burnham, who was recently described as the “mayor of a town” by the US President.But the new Downing Street regime will want to establish a relationship between the two leaders rapidly - expect a call possibly hours after Mr Burnham enters No10.‌The incoming PM will also have to reschedule a major UK-EU summit that was recently postponed due to political instability at home.6. Welfare and NEETS crisisThe new leader will have to grapple with the cost of sickness and disability benefits, but has made clear he wants to avoid the approach taken by Starmer’s government.His predecessor was forced to rip up controversial plans to slash £5billion from Personal Independence Payments (PIP) last year after a massive Labour rebellion. Earlier this month, Mr Burnham ruled out what he described as “cruel cuts”.‌He will closely examine the results in the autumn for a review into PIP - established after the revolt - by Sir Stephen Timms on how to reform the system.‌Another item at the top of his in-tray will be supporting the over a million young people not in education, employment, or training - or NEETs. Former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn, who is leading a review on the “urgent national crisis”, will report back with his recommendations in the autumn.Downing Street will pay close attention when his report is published, but there may be a cost to the Treasury.7. Manchester mayoral by-election - and ReformThe first major electoral test for the new Prime Minister will come hurtling towards him just 10 days after he enters Downing Street.‌Around two million voters are eligible to cast a ballot in the Greater Manchester Mayoral by-election on July 30. It was triggered after Mr Burnham’s own resignation from the post to take up his seat in the Commons and challenge for the leadership.Nigel Farage's Reform UK had been hoping to cause a major headache for the new PM by pouring resources into the seat. If the Greater Manchester mayoralty falls to another party, it will be an early personal blow to Mr Burnham.‌But Reform HQ is now distracted by Farage's Clacton by-election and recent polls suggest Labour’s candidate, Bev Craig, is set to beat Reform’s candidate - by a healthy margin.It would be an early sigh of relief in Downing Street.‌8. First BudgetThe first Budget under a Burnham government in the autumn will be a major moment.While immediate measures on the cost of living are expected this summer, the new Chancellor’s attention will rapidly turn to the Budget.The exact date is not yet set, but one job at the top of their list will be filling a £4.7billion hole in the defence investment plan left behind by Keir Starmer’s government.‌There will also be major questions over tax and spending but Mr Burnham has committed to Labour’s manifesto commitment not to increase the three main taxes - income tax, national insurance, and VAT - on working people.Just last week the ex-Greater Manchester Mayor refused to rule out a wealth tax and admitted people might be asked for a “little more”.He also previously expressed an interest in raising taxes on speculative landlords who leave high street properties continually empty, and taxing the warehouses of firms like Amazon.‌9. Labour Party managementThe incoming PM has said he wants to eradicate "in-fighting" and the “insidious briefing culture” within the Labour party.It is an ambitious pledge - but it will be no easy task with 400 Labour MPs sitting on the Commons benches, as Keir Starmer found.A problem already hurtling towards Mr Burnham is disagreement over Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's hardline immigration reforms.‌Nearly 80 Labour MPs earlier this month signed a letter calling on him to change course over the plans, with MPs particularly concerned about changes to indefinite leave to remain applying retrospectively.The choices he makes for his Cabinet could also land him in hot water before he has already started the job.10. Oil and gas licencesPressure is coming from all directions on new drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea.‌The Government will soon have to make its decision on whether to give the go ahead to two oil fields, Rosebank and Jackdaw.Unions representing workers in the industry last week sent Mr Burnham a letter calling on him to back North Sea oil and gas. But other campaigners, such as the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, warn him not to bow to "Donald Trump ’s fossil fuel agenda" and argue the move will "do nothing to bring down people’s energy bills ".Article continues belowReports this week suggest Mr Burnham is preparing to announce new drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea. While the decision is a hurdle itself, a backlash from his own MPs over the issue could prove one of the first major flashpoints of his premiership.