‘What, a new one?’ Care home resident meets new PM

In April 2017, Brenda from Bristol memorably spoke for the nation by exclaiming “not another one!” on learning that a snap election had been called.

Almost a decade on, a care home resident has captured the exhaustion of a country that now has its seventh Prime Minister in the space of just over ten years.

The elderly man met Andy Burnham, who took office last week, during a visit to a care home managed by Jewish Care in Golders Green, north London, on Wednesday.

After Mr Burnham introduced himself, the resident said: “Andrew? And you are the local candidate, are you?”

Mr Burnham responded: “Oh no, I was a local candidate. I had a by-election a few weeks ago. But no, I’m now the Prime Minister.”

When the resident responded “you’re what?”, a member of staff told him: “He’s the Prime Minister.”

Struggling to contain his surprise, the man responded: “What, a new one?”

Mr Burnham laughed and said: “Another one,” prompting the resident to declare: “They keep changing every five minutes!”

The MP for Makerfield is the latest in a long line of recent occupants of 10 Downing Street.

Lord Cameron governed from 2010 to 2016, Baroness May from 2016 to 2019, and Boris Johnson from 2019 to 2022.

Liz Truss, Mr Johnson’s successor, lasted just 49 days in September and Oct 2022, with Rishi Sunak, her replacement, in office until the last general election in July 2024.

Sir Keir Starmer swept to power with a landslide majority but was forced out after two years by mutinous Labour MPs after Mr Burnham’s return to Westminster last month.

Mr Burnham met the resident on the same day he made his first major policy speech, in which he hinted at tax rises to fund widespread social care reforms.

‘Honestly, I can’t stand this!’

In the famous 2017 clip, Brenda was told by a BBC News reporter that Baroness May had decided to go to the country and hold a new national poll. She responded: “You’re joking! Not another one! For God’s sake, I can’t. Honestly, I can’t stand this.

“There’s too much politics going on at the moment. Why does she need to do it?”

With the benefit of hindsight, Baroness May would have done well to treat Brenda’s response as a warning.

The then prime minister’s own proposals to reform social care were soon branded a “dementia tax”, and the sudden rise in popularity of Jeremy Corbyn, then Labour’s leader, saw the Tories lose their Commons majority.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]