Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has warned that Britain is heading for a 'summer of chaos' as Andy Burnham is expected to become Prime Minister on July 20, just days after Parliament breaks for the summer. In a blistering critique, Badenoch accused Burnham of leaving the country 'in limbo' and failing to provide a clear plan for governance.
Badenoch Slams Burnham's Lack of Plan
Writing in the Daily Express, Badenoch said: 'Britain is heading for a summer of chaos.' She criticised Burnham's proposal to move Number 10 to the North of England, arguing it 'isn't going to fix the Government's inability to get stuff done.' She added: 'The man who will be Prime Minister in a couple of weeks wants a three-month summer holiday because he needs the time to work out what he thinks. Giving speeches in Manchester and not taking any questions is simply not good enough. Andy Burnham clearly doesn't have a plan, beyond telling Britain's mayors to go and sort it out.'
Burnham's 10-Year Plan and No10 North
In his first major speech since Sir Keir Starmer's resignation, Burnham set out a 10-year plan to transform Britain by shifting power out of Whitehall, creating a new No10 North in Manchester, and overseeing the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period. Speaking at the People's History Museum in Manchester, the Makerfield MP insisted Britain was 'stuck in a rut' and that the Westminster system was 'broken.' He said: 'As a result, the country isn't where it should be. It is stuck in a rut, and clearly we can't go on like this.' Burnham promised to set a 'new direction' for the UK, with the No10 North operation serving as the 'nerve centre of a rewired Britain.'
Criticism from Farage and Markets
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage dismissed Burnham's devolution plans, asking: 'Has devolution in London with Mayor Sadiq Khan made London's streets safer? No. Has devolution in Wales given them a better NHS or education? No, they are the worst in the country. Has devolution in Scotland cleaned up Scottish politics? Well, I think the recent jailing of one of the former bosses of the SNP would say no.' Farage added that handing local government more power would not stop small boat crossings or reduce national debt, and said: 'What the country wants is immediate action.'
Burnham's Fiscal Promises
To reassure markets, Burnham promised his measures would be based on 'the stability that comes from sound public finances' and 'the discipline of our current fiscal rules.' He pledged to give Britain 'breathing space' against rising costs 'as soon as I can' while not 'taking risks with the public finances.' However, he acknowledged that taxpayer-funded support would be needed to address cost-of-living pressures, saying: 'Ours is a 10-year mission to raise people's living standards. I know people can't wait forever for change.'
Procurement and Unity
Burnham also vowed to support reindustrialisation across UK regions, ordering Whitehall to back British firms bidding for public contracts even if it costs taxpayers more. He said: 'For too long, UK public procurement policy has been based on chasing cut-price deals around the world rather than helping our own British-based suppliers become more stable and competitive.' In Westminster, Burnham said he would reach out to other parties to create a 'greater sense of unity' in place of the 'fragmented, disjointed' political environment.
