Andy Burnham will become prime minister on Monday after a meeting with King Charles III, vowing to be bolder while sticking to Labour's 2024 election manifesto. The Labour leader, officially declared on Friday after securing the backing of 379 MPs, said he would "clear the decks" of distractions from the cost of living and the economy, according to deputy leader Lucy Powell.
But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch launched a blistering attack, calling Burnham a "people pleaser" at a time when the country needed someone who could "take tough decisions, who can face down Labour MPs". "The job is not a popularity contest," she said. "It is making the lives of all of the people outside this building better. And he has not said what he's going to do. It's all airy-fairy stuff."
“Burnham becomes PM Monday, vows bolder approach while Badenoch brands him a 'people pleaser'.”
In one of his first announcements since becoming Labour leader, Burnham scrapped the digital ID scheme introduced by Sir Keir Starmer last year. Powell described the move as a "small example of reprioritising", adding that the scheme would have cost a "not insignificant amount of money" and diverted attention from government priorities.
Separately, the BBC has been told Burnham's government will announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. Powell said Burnham would be "pragmatic" on the subject, insisting it was "not a change of policy" but "more a change of emphasis". US President Donald Trump applauded the move, writing on social media that tapping into North Sea oil resources would make the UK "one of the Richest Countries anywhere in the World".
The shift has drawn criticism from former Downing Street figures. Kate Fall, who served as deputy chief of staff to David Cameron, described Burnham's 10-year-plan as "sounding almost Soviet". Powell, meanwhile, insisted Burnham understood "the bigger, bolder measures that are needed to live up to the manifesto promises", including the redistribution of power and taking on "vested interests".
Some opposition parties have urged Burnham to call a general election to secure a mandate for his premiership. But Powell stressed he would stand by the promises made in Labour's 2024 manifesto — while hinting at a more ambitious approach to governing.