Conservative deputy leader Alex Burghart mocked Andy Burnham's 10-year plan during Prime Minister's Questions, joking that he was "old enough to remember" Sir Keir Starmer's own 10-year plan. The clash came as Burnham was absent, with Louise Haigh standing in for him.
Burghart, speaking in the Commons, noted that the Prime Minister, who is in the Caribbean for a Commonwealth summit, is preparing his own 10-year plan after replacing Sir Keir in Downing Street in July.
Burghart's jibe at Labour's plans
Burghart said: "It's been briefed however that the Prime Minister is preparing a 10-year plan. I'm old enough to remember Keir Starmer's 10-year plan because it was six months ago. This is the only political party in history to have two 10-year plans in 10 months."
He then asked: "But given that the Labour Party is experimenting with planning, can it commit to reduce this record welfare bill, the highest welfare bill ever, as part of its 10-year plan?" The comments prompted a noisy reaction and finger-pointing from the Tory benches.
Haigh's response
Ms Haigh replied: "The Honourable Gentleman can ask me the same question four or five times and I'm going to keep answering in the same way. We are taking steps already to bring the welfare bill down and we'll take further, we've committed to legislate."
She added: "But every week the opposition party comes and brings the same problems with the same messes that we inherited on welfare, on defence, on immigration, on the economy. This Labour Government is committed to tackling it all and no matter what he brings we are taking steps to deliver all of it."
