Britain's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, inherits a markedly different relationship with China than the "Golden Era" of a decade ago. Andy Burnham gave his first speech as Prime Minister on the steps of Downing Street, July 20, 2026. A China policy castigated as too “soft” and too concessionary could prove politically costly, and Burnham is no stranger to the mercurial nature of Labour Party politics. A couple of suggestions follow:Firstly, Burnham must ensure that his cabinet speaks with one voice on China. Will Burnham succeed where his predecessor struggled – namely, in carving out a substantive China policy that can deliver for the British people, without giving into excess pressures by China-skeptical or China-affirmative dogmatists?