The Makerfield MP Andy Burnham will today replace Keir Starmer in Downing Street, and has vowed to end a decade of politics 'not working' and do more on the cost of living08:03, 20 Jul 2026Updated 15:03, 20 Jul 2026Andy Burnham has shared his heartbreak that his father does not know he will be the next PM because of his Alzheimer’s.‌The Makerfield MP will today replace Keir Starmer in Downing Street, and repeated his vow to reform the adult social care system, drawing on the experiences of his own father, Roy.‌Speaking to The Times, the former Greater Manchester Mayor expressed sadness that his father was unaware that he was entering Number 10.‌He said: “That’s a sadness because he would be (proud). The way I look at it, it’s his achievement as well.“A whole family achievement although he doesn’t know it.”‌Mr Burnham also said his father was unaware he now backed a change in the voting system to proportional representation, something that was a passion about.He said: “I don’t think he’s ever realised, because of his condition, that I’ve come round to PR, which is one of his missions — to get me to accept that.”Mr Burnham said the family, including his youngest daughter, visited his father last Sunday.‌“We were at his care home. My two brothers were there, my mum was there. So, all five of us together, which was a nice thing.”Reform of the social care system is unfinished business for Mr Burnham, who set out plans for change while he was health secretary in Gordon Brown’s administration.‌Mr Burnham described the “broken social care system” in England as “the worst of all worlds” and insisted it is a “massive” priority for the public.It came as the Labour leader pledged to announce support for cost of living early on in his premiership.He said: “You will see early moves to help. It’s all about helping people.‌“You’ve seen what we’ve done with digital ID this morning. That’s an example of what’s to come, freeing up resource from something that, in my view, wouldn’t make a tangible difference to people’s lives anytime soon. And even if it did, it wouldn’t necessarily make life easier, it might do in the long run.”Mr Burnham met with civil servants last week, and will today set out his vision for Britain in a landmark speech outside number-ten. He will appoint his cabinet after, with Shabana Mahmood widely expected to replace Rachel Reeves as Chancellor.Describing a “ten-year plan for the country”, he said: “I’m not saying that means I’m setting out to say I’m going to be here for ten years. It’s more that we’re not in the right place structurally, we’re not in the right place as a country. I think people can feel that.”‌A long-term critic of Whitehall, Mr Burnham insisted he’d faced no issues outlining his plans to officials.He said: “I think we’ve got to a really good place. Everyone’s aligned. I’ve just been at the Treasury this morning, dealing with some of the announcements we’re making next week, and there’s no sort of tension in the system.”Becoming the seventh PM since 2016, Mr Burnham said he had plans to fix the country, and accused some in Westminster of being in politics for the wrong reasons.‌He said: “There’s no point being here because you’re here. I won’t name names, but I do think I have seen people in parliament, Westminster … they get to something because they want to do that something.“They want to be that office holder, and that’s it. I can honestly say that isn’t good enough for me, it really isn’t — just to say I got there. I’ve never been like that. I promise you: it’s what I do with it.”There were also tough words for his own party, repeating his admission that they “need to be better”. He continued: “Running the country is a serious business. You can’t just get swept up in moments and emotions and impulses and the fleeting things and the drifts of social media. You have to stand back from that and apply judgement and build a common purpose amongst people.”Article continues belowResponding, Michelle Dyson CB, Alzheimer’s Society’s CEO, said: “Andy Burnham has spoken about his family’s experience of Alzheimer’s disease and his promise to pursue reform offers hope. We are looking forward to working with the new Prime Minister and his Government to deliver the bold action needed on dementia.“Dementia is the UK's biggest killer, yet it has been overlooked for far too long. With the Modern Service Framework for Dementia and Frailty and the Casey Commission underway, it is critical that the new Prime Minister seizes this moment to transform diagnosis, care and support.“Dementia doesn’t wait, and neither should Government. Andy Burnham now has a real opportunity to make dementia a national priority and deliver the change people affected by dementia have waited too long to see.”