Andy Burnham has promised a 10-year plan to address Britain's mounting crises, but critics question whether it contains any substance. The Prime Minister has yet to reveal the plan's details, saying only that it will be ready by Christmas.
The announcement comes as the Ukraine war enters its fifth winter, the Iran conflict continues, and fuel and food prices rise sharply. In the UK, taxes, national debt and unemployment are all increasing.
A plan about a plan
Burnham has brought in management consultants to write the plan, leading some to suggest it is not really his own. He has already announced measures including a pound off bus fares, VAT-free electricity bills, and £100 per household for heating.
He has also pledged to allow people to identify as Black English or Asian English on the census, saying it will unite the nation. Meanwhile, 364 migrants arrived last Sunday, and Burnham's adviser, former Bank of England official Andy Haldane, warned on Thursday that Britain faces an economic "heart attack".
Ten years of planning
The plan is set to run for 10 years, twice as long as Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's five-year plans. During this period, taxes will keep climbing and the Treasury will borrow another £250 million every single day to balance the books.
Critics argue that instead of a plan, Britain needs hard decisions and swift action. As one observer put it, Burnham's approach may be "a plan to write a plan", with implementation potentially taking the full decade.
