Andy Burnham is set to become Prime Minister following Keir Starmer's resignation, but commentator Esther Krakue warns he is far from a saviour and will lead the country into financial ruin. Writing for GB News, Krakue argues that Burnham has no electoral mandate, has been absent from Westminster for years, and has only weeks to assemble a transition team.
Starmer's Failures and a Pattern of Broken Promises
Krakue acknowledges that Starmer was an unsuitable PM — leading from behind, lacking a pre-election plan, and failing to wield power effectively. However, she contends these traits are not unique but rather the norm for recent prime ministers. She cites a string of leaders: David Cameron gambled on a referendum and fled, Theresa May failed to deliver Brexit, Boris Johnson was allergic to detail, Liz Truss was outlasted by lettuce, Rishi Sunak managed decline like a spreadsheet, and Starmer turned a massive majority into the shortest premiership in memory.
According to Krakue, voters will forgive incompetence but not being taken for fools. Swapping Starmer for Burnham, she says, is merely rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
Burnham's Record in Greater Manchester Under Fire
Krakue questions why Burnham is hailed as a messiah, pointing to his record as Mayor of Greater Manchester. She claims the city has suffered excessive spending, poor public services, bloated bureaucracy, and residents drowning in debt. Specifically, she highlights a Court of Appeal challenge over a meeting Burnham chaired where £120 million in loans was signed over to a luxury property developer without checking the backer's solvency, risking taxpayer money.
Furthermore, of 11,000 homes built under his flagship fund, only 503 were affordable — under 5%. Krakue argues this contradicts his promise to steer public money towards affordable housing rather than luxury towers.
Labour's Talent Void and a Leftward Tilt
Krakue notes that Burnham lost two Labour leadership contests, one to Ed Miliband, calling it an embarrassing feat. She derides the potential Cabinet, singling out Wes Streeting as a possible Chancellor — a prospect she says God help us all if it happens. The handover, she adds, is anything but amicable, with Starmer's team showing bad blood.
Most baffling to Krakue is Labour's direction: Reform UK is surging, voters are moving rightward, yet Labour strategists conclude the country wants someone further left. She concludes that Burnham's hurried transition and lack of mandate spell disaster.
