What Do UK Startup Leaders Expect From Andy Burnham As The Incoming Labour Leader?

Andy Burnham has been elected Leader of the Labour Party after receiving the backing of 379 Labour MPs and 23 affiliate organisations. He was officially announced at Labour’s Special Conference at the Trades Union Congress in London.

In his first speech as leader, Burnham thanked outgoing leader Sir Keir Starmer and said he wanted to build on the work already done. He also promised a united party and said Labour now had one more chance to win over the public.

Burnham said, “Today, we thank Keir for his service to our Party and to our country.”

He also told members, “We are united today, as Hollie said, as Lucy said, as Shabana said, and thank you so much for your words. We are united and we put the power that comes from that unity at the service of people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again.”

Later in the speech, Burnham said, “I have a plan. And what I also want you to know is that I won’t change. I have a style, it’s my style. I will always stay close to the ground, close to the people.”

What Could It Mean For UK Businesses?

Business owners are now waiting to see what Burnham’s economic plans will look like once he becomes Prime Minister next week.

Keith Griffiths, founder and CEO of The Entrepreneur Festival, believes tax policy will be one of the first areas under close scrutiny.

He said, “Andy Burnham’s appointment as Labour leader marks a defining moment for UK businesses. With expectations that he will become Prime Minister next week, companies are watching closely to understand what a new era of tax and economic policy could mean for growth and investment.”

Griffiths added, “Any serious tax reform must answer one question: does it help businesses start, scale and invest?”

He also said, “Entrepreneurs don’t just need lower taxes. They need certainty, stability and an environment where ambition is rewarded. The UK has no shortage of entrepreneurial talent, but we still have a scale up challenge.”

Griffiths finished by saying, “A thriving economy depends on helping founders build successful businesses, access investment, develop skills and reinvest their experience into the next generation. Tax reform is part of the answer, but so too is creating a culture where entrepreneurship is recognised as a driver of jobs, growth and opportunity.”

What About Digital Identity?

One policy is digital identity… last week, Chloe Coleman, co-founder and CEO of fraud and risk platform Vouchsafe, responded after Burnham announced Labour would scrap compulsory digital ID.

Coleman said, “This weekend’s announcement is largely unsurprising. Once Sir Keir Starmer’s government began retreating from making digital ID compulsory, it felt as though the clock was already ticking on the wider programme.”

She believes digital identity services will continue through private companies and existing services.

Coleman said, “Private sector verification services will continue to support financial institutions, employers and landlords, while recent licensing changes will enable people to use registered digital verification services to prove their age when buying alcohol. Adoption will continue to grow because the practical need for secure and convenient identity verification has not disappeared.”

She also said people without passports or driving licences could lose an easier way to prove their identity.

“The question should never have been simply whether Britain introduces digital ID, but how it creates a trusted, proportionate and inclusive system that does not exclude people from employment, housing or essential services simply because they cannot afford or obtain traditional photographic identification,” she said.

Burnham’s first weeks in office are likely to answer one thing for businesses and that is: will his plans make it easier for companies to invest, recruit and grow, or will they need to wait longer for the detail?

What Do Startup Leaders Expect?

After asking startup leaders what they expect of Burnham, this is what they shared…

Our Experts:

• Sophie Milliken MBE, Founder and CEO, Moja Group
• Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director, Employment Hero
• Richard Davis, CEO and Co-Founder, 51toCarbonZero
• Frank Böhmer, CEO, Ninox
• Paul Corcoran, Founder & CEO, Agent
• Julaine Speight, Co-Founder, First Internet
• Carl Hazeley, CEO, Finimize

Sophie Milliken MBE, Founder and CEO, Moja Group

“As someone who has built businesses in the North East, I’m less interested in political slogans and more interested in whether the next Prime Minister truly understands that the UK isn’t one economy.

“For too long, founders outside London have had to work harder for the same investment, the same visibility and often the same level of recognition. The North East has exceptional entrepreneurs, world class universities and innovative businesses, yet we’re too often overlooked in national conversations.

“What I want from Burnham is simple. Recognise that backing regional growth isn’t an act of fairness, it’s smart economics. Give regions the power to make decisions locally, invest in the infrastructure and skills that matter to them and stop expecting every part of the country to fit the same mould. If we’re serious about driving UK growth, we need a Prime Minister who doesn’t just talk about the regions, but sees their differences as one of the country’s greatest strengths.”

Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director, Employment Hero

“As Andy Burnham steps into the role of Prime Minister, there has already been much said for what his Manchesterism brand of politics might mean for businesses and workers across the UK. The argument that economic growth lies in cities and communities across the UK, and not just in the capital, is a good one.

“Our data shows employment growth in the North is outpacing even that of London, but employers are being hit harder by rising employment costs and complexity, which has more of an impact on regional businesses and therefore has a knock-on effect on wages.

“So, if the vision for Manchesterism is growth driven by the regions, then we must look at national policies which make hiring and growth complex for SMEs. Increasing businesses’ ability to be ambitious and make hiring decisions will ultimately support SMEs up and down the country to drive employment growth within their communities.”

Richard Davis, CEO and Co-Founder, 51toCarbonZero

“I’d like to see a stronger focus on creating the conditions for businesses to invest and grow. That means providing greater long-term certainty around climate and energy policy. Businesses can adapt to ambitious goals, but it’s much harder to make long-term investment decisions when the policy landscape keeps shifting.

“I’d also like to see lower Capital Gains Tax for entrepreneurs. Founders take significant personal and financial risks to build businesses, create jobs and develop new technologies. The current level of taxation acts as a disincentive for people considering taking that leap. If we want the UK to remain an attractive place to start and scale innovative businesses, we need to reward entrepreneurship while creating a stable environment for long-term investment.”

Frank Böhmer, CEO, Ninox

“Andy Burnham has talked about taking a tougher line on Big Tech, but AI is probably going to be the issue that defines tech policy over the next few years and there’s a real risk we end up over-regulating the industry.

“You only have to look at Europe’s AI Act to see how over-regulation can add significant complexity for businesses, where it has also raised genuine concerns about stifling innovation and falling behind regions like the US and Asia.

“There absolutely needs to be protection around privacy, security and the use of personal data. But the UK also needs to create the conditions for innovation to thrive and give businesses the confidence to invest, experiment and build while keeping regulation focused on the tangible risks rather than throwing up barriers that just slow everything down.

“AI is likely to be one of the biggest drivers of growth over the next few years and getting that balance right could end up being one of the defining challenges of Burnham’s time as PM.”

Paul Corcoran, Founder & CEO, Agent

“I’m genuinely excited by the prospect of a Prime Minister who understands the realities of running and growing businesses outside of London. It feels refreshing to have that perspective represented at the highest level.

“The biggest opportunity now is creating an environment where small and medium-sized businesses have the confidence to invest, innovate and grow. They’re the backbone of our economy, but too often they’re navigating uncertainty rather than focusing on expansion. Giving businesses the stability and support they need to recruit new talent, embrace new technologies and invest in their future will be critical to delivering good growth.

“At our recent Good Growth Summit, where we brought together more than 200 senior business leaders, the overwhelming message was that businesses want to be listened to. They want policies that reflect the realities they’re facing and give them the confidence to invest, whether that’s in innovation, new talent or the transition to net zero.

“The UK has no shortage of ambition or entrepreneurial talent. If the new government can create the conditions for businesses to succeed, encourage innovation, champion enterprise and work in genuine partnership with the business community, then there’s a real opportunity for the whole country to benefit.”

Julaine Speight, Co-Founder, First Internet

“Honestly, the bar for the first year has to be realistic — he’s inheriting a defence crisis, a stagnant economy and a generation of young people locked out of work. What we most want to see is the right people in the right places with real backing and the resources to make change happen.

“But the longer-term asks are clear: real devolution — not a review or a consultation, but an actual commitment that city regions will have the powers and funding to shape their own economic futures. A proper industrial strategy for creative and digital with genuine investment behind it. And digital infrastructure treated as seriously as physical infrastructure — connectivity, data sovereignty and digital public services aren’t niche issues, they’re the foundations of a modern economy.

“A PM who’s spent years running one of the UK’s biggest city regions should understand that better than most. Now we need to see it.”

Carl Hazeley, CEO, Finimize

Diversity and pathways into tech

“When I think about what an Andy Burnham government could achieve, I’m not just looking at growth figures, I’m looking at how his vision might change the industry.

“As a Black fintech CEO, I don’t cut a familiar figure. I also grew up in a single-parent household in Hackney and benefitted from government support to get where I am. I’m the embodiment of Burnham’s ‘opportunity in every postcode’ vision.

“We say we’re trying to get more people investing, but we’re letting a narrow group of people fund and build financial products. Our research shows only 14% of people feel investing is ‘for people like me’. Simply put, if people don’t feel the industry understands them, they’re much less likely to engage with it.

“If Burnham is serious about creating wealth in every postcode, he should also be thinking about who gets to build the financial system. Opening up more pathways into fintech and financial services is good for innovation, trust and growth. If we change who’s in the room designing financial products, we’ll build products that work for more people. That’s how you get more people investing, and that’s how you spread wealth much more widely.”