Andy Burnham has a short window to demonstrate that he will follow a new path, warns Benjamin Selwyn, professor of international relations and international development at the University of Sussex, in a letter responding to Andy Beckett's article.
Hope Must Be Backed by Legislation
Selwyn argues that hopes projected onto Burnham must be understood in the shadow of Keir Starmer's rapid dissipation of the electoral mandate secured in 2024. That victory was built on a promise of material improvement, but policies such as maintaining the two-child benefit cap, cutting the winter fuel allowance, and failing to confront price gouging by utilities and supermarkets deepened the cost of living crisis for millions.
These moves converted hope into cynicism and created fertile ground for the far right. Starmer's response, including his 'island of strangers' speech, has reinforced that trajectory, according to Selwyn.
Immediate Action Needed
While 'The Productive State' policy document by two of Burnham's backers offers useful long-term ideas, Selwyn stresses that immediate action is essential. Rent caps, targeted food price controls, and a clear commitment to taxing wealth would signal seriousness about reducing inequality and improving living standards. Without such measures, hope will once again curdle, and the far right will continue to benefit.
