Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will present his 10-year vision for Britain to Parliament before the Christmas recess, responding to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch who described the Government as being "adrift".
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Burnham said the document would include more details on a national care service and would "lay a new path" for the country, breaking with the "failed policies of the party opposite".
Badenoch criticises Government's direction
Mrs Badenoch pressed the Prime Minister on reported unhappiness among Labour MPs about his proposals for the next decade, which have been covered by the Guardian. She said Labour had left the UK in "limbo" and that the Government was "totally adrift".
Concerns raised in the reports included remarks from Andy MacNae, leader of the Labour reindustrialisation research group, who said plans for reindustrialisation may not be realised. Fellow group member Jonathan Hinder told the newspaper that "pretty drastic action" was needed.
It has also emerged that the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is advising on the strategy. Mrs Badenoch asked: "Is it really true he has so little vision for this country he needs the Boston Consulting Group to write it for him?"
Prime Minister's response
Mr Burnham told her: "I did walk up Downing Street promising a 10-year plan for this country because I am determined to give this country the stability that they failed to provide.
"I am determined to give the leadership that this country needs and I can say to her, we will present our plan for Britain to this House before it rises for the Christmas recess."
He had previously suggested the plan could be delayed until January. Downing Street confirmed that one consultant from BCG was working on the plan but would not be drawn on whether other organisations had also been asked to provide expertise.
Mrs Badenoch derided apparent plans to merge the DVLA and DVSA in the decade-long vision, saying: "I'm not surprised he's asked management consultants to help him write his 10-year plan. He needs all the help that he can get."
She added: "They need consultants to tell them what to think. They need civil servants to tell them what to do. So, we are left with a do-nothing budget, a spending review delayed, a 10-year plan outsourced.
"Meanwhile, the whole country is in limbo. Labour MPs want to pretend that Keir Starmer simply walked off into the sunset, when in reality this man knifed him in the back and now doesn't know what to do."
Mr Burnham replied: "I have told her today what I am doing. Whether she was listening or not, people at home will have heard that I am bringing forward a national care service when they ignored social care for years and years.
"I am acting to get people's energy bills down when they didn't do it. A quarter of a million young people became Neet between 2021 and 2024 when she was in the cabinet. The welfare bill rose by £33 billion in her last year in office when she was in the cabinet.
"She will see our plan for Britain next month presented to this House, it will lay a new path for this country, breaking with the failed policies of the party opposite."
North Sea drilling and energy plans
Mrs Badenoch also asked whether the Government will approve drilling at the Rosebank oilfield in the North Sea, calling it "ludicrous" that ministers were stopping drilling off the coast of Scotland while supporting it near the Falkland Islands.
Mr Burnham reeled off Labour's plans to bring bills down, including removing standing charges from gas bills and delinking gas and electricity prices. He added: "We have just recently approved the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, something that she failed to do when she was in government, and we are using the proceeds through the Energy Wealth Fund, created by the Chancellor, to accelerate the delivery of renewables."
Asked about Mr Burnham's plan, the Prime Minister's press secretary told reporters: "The Government is committed to delivering an ambitious, incredible 10-year plan, drawing on the best expertise available both inside and outside government. Any external support is limited, short-term, and focused on specific specialist advice."
Downing Street would not comment on other firms involved in the plan and said the Government remained committed to reducing overall spending on consultants.
