Andy Burnham will stick to Labour's 2024 manifesto, Lucy Powell says, even as she says his leadership will be bolder on the economy and living costs.
Andy Burnham will keep Labour’s 2024 manifesto promises, but take a bolder line in government, deputy leader Lucy Powell said as the Andy Burnham manifesto debate sharpened on Sunday. Powell said the incoming prime minister would focus on the cost of living and the economy, while clearing away distractions from those priorities.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Powell said Burnham’s arrival would mark a chance to “reset” the government’s direction. She said Labour’s manifesto already set out themes such as shifting power, changing how the country works, and taking on vested interests. She argued Burnham understood that the party needed larger, more forceful steps to meet those promises.
Burnham is due to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister on Monday after meeting King Charles III. He was formally named Labour leader on Friday after a short contest in which he was the only candidate, and he secured the backing of 379 MPs. Some opposition parties have called on him to trigger a general election so he can claim a fresh mandate for the job.
One of Burnham’s first moves as Labour leader was to scrap the Digital ID scheme announced by Starmer last year. Powell described that as a modest example of changing priorities, saying the plan would have cost a significant amount and pulled attention away from the government’s main work. She also said the incoming government would be pragmatic on North Sea oil and gas drilling, while the BBC has been told plans are being prepared for new drilling there.
Powell said Burnham’s government is expected to set out measures on public control of water and energy companies, along with a new council house-building programme. She backed more public ownership, arguing that utilities and essential services have not been working in the interest of ordinary people. Former Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg pushed back, saying the water industry needs private capital or taxpayer funding. For voters, the Andy Burnham manifesto fight matters because it will shape how the next government handles bills, public services, and the economy.
