Andy Burnham has made yet another U-turn, this time agreeing with Nigel Farage on immigration, sparking accusations of desperation to win over Reform voters in the Makerfield by-election.
Burnham's shifting stance on immigration
Last month, Burnham retreated from his call to scrap a restriction on immigrants claiming benefits. Now, the would-be Labour prime minister has said he would expand illegal immigrant detention, aligning himself with Farage's tough rhetoric.
Burnham allies suggest he would rip up billion-pound accommodation contracts used to house thousands of migrants in hotels. Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, Burnham stated: "I do agree with what [Nigel] Farage is saying. What we've got to do is get back to a sense of order."
A pattern of U-turns
Critics point to a long list of Burnham's reversals. He once called for an end to the rule preventing immigrants from accessing benefits or housing before being granted settled status. He signed a statement supporting Black Lives Matter but later disavowed 'taking the knee.' He advocated for trans women to use female bathrooms, only to backtrack. He accused the government of being "in hock to the bond markets" but then pledged to stick to Rachel Reeves's fiscal rules, only to U-turn again days later.
Now, running in a Brexit-voting seat, Burnham has decided to respect the Leave vote despite previously advocating to rejoin the EU.
Net migration figures disputed
Burnham's claim that net migration is down is dismissed as misleading. The number of Britons leaving the country is rising, while non-European migration remains high. The slight decrease from Tory years is seen as an indictment of Conservative failure, not Labour success.
Jonathan Saxty, writing for GB News, concludes: "Who is he kidding? U-turn after U-turn, all in a bid to win over Makerfield's voters, and now apparently he agrees with Nigel Farage? How dumb does he think we are?"
