Kemi Badenoch has branded Andy Burnham a “people pleaser” whose plans for government are “airy fairy” – even as the incoming prime minister prepares to scrap Keir Starmer’s unpopular digital ID scheme on his first day in office.
In an interview with Laura Kuenssberg, the Conservative leader accused Burnham of not knowing “what the country’s priorities are”, just 48 hours before he enters Downing Street. Burnham, who returned to parliament only a month ago in a by-election, became Labour leader after being backed by 379 MPs and all 11 affiliated trade unions. He gave a speech at the TUC headquarters on Friday, vowing to deliver “the most significant change moment in our politics for 40 years” and promising to shift power from Westminster to local authorities.
“Incoming PM Burnham to scrap digital ID cards, redirecting funds to cost of living, as Conservative leader Badenoch attacks his plans.”
But Badenoch was unimpressed. “What the country needs right now is someone who can take tough decisions, who can face down the Labour MPs that don’t want to do anything difficult,” she said. “I like Andy – he’s a nice guy, a people pleaser – but the job is not a popularity contest. It’s all airy-fairy stuff.”
Burnham is expected to scrap Starmer’s digital ID card plan on Monday, his team confirmed on Saturday, in what they called a “reset of priorities”. The resources earmarked for the scheme will be redirected to tackling the cost of living. “One of the first things this government will do is put its focus where people need it right now: creating breathing space and delivering change they can feel in their everyday lives,” a spokesperson said. “All the time and resource that was going to be spent on a national ID scheme will go instead to where it’s most needed.”
The move distances Burnham from an unpopular policy: a petition against the digital ID cards attracted about 3 million signatures. Starmer had announced the compulsory “Brit card” last September, due by 2029, to combat illegal working. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated the cost at about £1.8bn, though officials rejected that figure. Starmer called it “an enormous opportunity for the UK” to make borders more secure, but his plan revived memories of Tony Blair’s failed ID scheme, legislated for in 2006 and scrapped by the coalition in 2011.
Badenoch, however, questioned whether Burnham understands the country’s priorities. “He was talking to the Labour Party, not to the country,” she told the BBC. “I’m not sure he is aware of what the country’s priorities are – and if he’s become prime minister without that, I think he’s in for a rude awakening.”
Burnham’s five pledges include working with other parties in a “distinctively Labour” direction. But with the cost of living still biting and no clear figure for how much scrapping the ID scheme will save, the question remains: can a “people pleaser” deliver the tough decisions Badenoch insists the country needs?