When Andy Burnham became the seventh prime minister in a decade on Monday, he promised a 10-year plan to fix an unstable political system. But where should his focus lie for further education and skills? In his first speeches as Labour leader and PM-in-waiting, Burnham committed to an “education system based on parity between academic and technical” routes and pledged to end what he called a “school system configured entirely around the university route”. His cabinet includes Lucy Powell as education secretary, who has experience in education policy, and John Healey as chancellor, a former adult skills minister under Tony Blair. Pat McFadden remains as work and pensions secretary and Jacqui Smith keeps her skills minister post. Become a member for unlimited access to FE Week subscribe Our members enjoy early access to exclusive content and in-depth articles before anyone else. Get expert journalism on FE and skills, experience fewer ads, and unlock a growing range of member benefits.