Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting have criticised Tony Blair's recent essay for failing to address inequality, which they argue is a central issue facing modern Britain. The former prime minister's lengthy critique of Labour's current direction under Keir Starmer has drawn sharp responses from senior party figures, with both Burnham and Streeting—potential future leadership candidates—highlighting what they see as a significant omission.
In an article for the Guardian, Streeting said Blair's essay barely confronted inequality, calling it 'the defining issue of our age' and accusing the former leader of treating it as 'peripheral rather than fundamental'. Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, echoed this, noting that Blair 'doesn't mention inequality once' in his analysis. Both argued that inequality is driving political discontent and the rise of populist movements.
Streeting also pushed back against Blair's criticism of Labour's economic policies, including his proposed wealth tax and ambition to rejoin the EU. He emphasised that growth without social justice is unsustainable and that markets must serve society, not dominate it. Additionally, Streeting criticised Blair's stance on the US, referencing the Iraq war as a lesson in the dangers of 'automatic subservience' to American presidents.
Burnham, who is widely expected to challenge Starmer for the leadership if he wins the Makerfield byelection, said he would set out a 'considered response' on Thursday. Torsten Bell, a minister at the Department for Work and Pensions, also weighed in, arguing that Blair's essay lacked a serious policy project and failed to understand why taxes have risen over the past decade, linking it to austerity and debt costs rather than solely welfare spending.
