Andy Burnham's recent moves signal a shift in tone, but the incoming UK prime minister faces a daunting international landscape.
Early signs suggest he may have the right skills for the job.
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Burnham made his first major break with predecessor Keir Starmer by apologizing for Labour's handling of the Gaza war, calling for an earlier ceasefire and increased pressure on Israel.
While the Foreign Office already considers further sanctions, the move is more a change of domestic tone than a dramatic policy shift.
Recognizing deep anguish on the left over Gaza, Burnham signals he will listen more closely to grassroots concerns.
However, this raises questions about his relationship with the White House, especially given Donald Trump's past dismissal of Burnham as "the mayor of a town."
Navigating US Relations and Global Alliances
Burnham enters office at a tipping point for US relations with the West.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney warns that the old America is not coming back, while even Italy's Giorgia Meloni appears to have lost patience with Trump.
Frustration was palpable at this week's NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump threatened trade sanctions on Spain, confirmed his desire to own Greenland, and resumed bombing Iran.
The prospect of rolling conflict in the Gulf, akin to Trump's on-again, off-again trade wars, poses a serious threat to allies.
Former Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood's book "Ten Steps to Prevent World War Three" depicts a future where such conflicts become routine, with China filling the vacuum left by a weakened rules-based order.
