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Andy Burnham Announces 10-Year Plan as Prime Minister; Steve Reed Steps Down as Housing Secretary

Andy Burnham has delivered his first speech as the new UK prime minister, stating he will set out a 10-year plan for Britain later this year. On the same day, Steve Reed announced his resignation as housing secretary.

Burnham, who succeeds Sir Keir Starmer, becomes the UK’s seventh prime minister in just over a decade. In his speech, Burnham said, “Later this year, I will bring forward a new plan for Britain, a 10-year plan, laying out a path from where we are now to where I believe we all want Britain to be, wherever we’re coming from, whatever party we support.” He also stated, “we will build more council homes.”

Steve Reed, who became housing secretary in September last year, confirmed his departure in a letter to Burnham, expressing disappointment at leaving government and wishing the new team success. Reed had taken on the role following the resignation of Angela Rayner.

Burnham’s speech follows his previous pledge for the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period. He has described the housing crisis as having a “ruinous effect” on public finances. Housebuilding was a key policy in former prime minister Keir Starmer’s 2024 general election manifesto, which included a pledge to build 1.5 million new homes over five years.

Burnham also announced that his first priority as prime minister is to launch an urgent national drive to end sleeping rough, stating the government’s commitment to “finally end long-term rough sleeping across the UK at the earliest opportunity.”

Industry figures have responded to Burnham’s speech. Propertymark chief executive Nathan Emerson welcomed Burnham to Downing Street and highlighted the importance of sector engagement with the government on housing issues. Emerson noted the need for a sustainable mix of affordable housing and robust local infrastructure. Valentin Boboc, senior economist at the Institute of Economic Affairs, commented on the seriousness of Britain’s housing shortage and suggested that speeding up private housebuilding could make future efforts more cost effective.

These developments are significant for UK letting agents and inventory clerks, as government plans for council house building and efforts to address rough sleeping may impact the rental sector and housing supply.