A Russian frigate suddenly announced it intended to fire its guns in the Channel, 45 miles south of Plymouth, on the same day Andy Burnham became prime minister. The patrol vessel HMS Tyne, which had been tracking the Neustrashimy, was forced to retreat to a safe distance as the 130-metre-long warship conducted a 30-minute firing drill at around 9.30am in international waters. The live-fire exercise came as maritime tensions between the UK and Russia remain heightened, with a Russia-linked oil tanker seized by Royal Marines last month. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the Royal Navy monitored the exercise throughout and “stands ready to protect UK national security.”
Burnham, who succeeded Sir Keir Starmer after winning the backing of 379 of Labour’s 403 MPs, used his first full day in office to announce a VAT cut on household electricity bills from October 1, saving a typical household about £45 a year. The reduction from 5% to zero will be funded by scrapping the digital ID programme, which was set to cost £1.8bn over three years. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the cut would give people “breathing space”, but sacked chief secretary Darren Jones called it an “unfunded tax cut”, while shadow chancellor Mel Stride said the digital ID savings were “not real because the money was never provided in the first place.”
“Russian warship conducts live-fire drill off Plymouth on day Andy Burnham becomes PM and reshapes cabinet.”
In a sweeping cabinet reshuffle, Burnham appointed John Healey as chancellor of the exchequer — a surprise choice after Healey quit as defence secretary in June over a row about defence spending. Ed Miliband becomes foreign secretary, Shabana Mahmood remains home secretary, and Louise Haigh takes the role of first secretary of state and Cabinet Office minister. Angela Rayner returns as housing secretary, while Starmerites such as Rachel Reeves and David Lammy were demoted to the backbenches. “Let us make this the moment when Britain starts to believe again, the moment we bring back hope,” Burnham said outside No 10, also vowing to end rough sleeping.
On the phone with Scotland’s first minister John Swinney on Tuesday, Burnham agreed to disagree on independence. His wife Marie-France van Heel, who appeared on Cilla Black’s Blind Date before marrying the new PM, made a fashion statement outside Downing Street in an £850 Victoria Beckham dress. The question now is whether Burnham can deliver the “new political model and new economic model” he promised without spooking the bond markets or the backbenches.