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Andy Burnham is set to spend his first day working at the northern branch of Downing Street. No 10 North in Manchester will form part of the prime minister’s aim to shift power from Whitehall and Westminster to regions across the country. Ministers Lucy Powell and Louise Haigh will also operate regularly from the new…
Millionaires including former footballer Gary Lineker and music producer Brian Eno have written to new prime minister Andy Burnham asking to be taxed more. In an open letter, 120 well-off Britons told Burnham: “We can afford it. We’re not talking about higher taxes on those who get up and go to work for their income…
Natalie Fleet says she has stepped down as safeguarding minister after finding the role “overwhelmingly triggering”, telling the BBC that it was making her ill. The Labour MP, who was groomed and raped as a teenager, added she told the team of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham that she “sadly couldn’t stay” in the job….
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has said there was “no ill intent” behind comments he made apparently about the early prisoner release scheme, which were caught on camera. In a video, published by the news website Guido Fawkes, the new Justice Secretary Alex Norris can be seen walking towards Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Streeting,…
Andy Burnham has promised to lead a “cost of living government,” as he chaired his first cabinet meeting as prime minister. He told his newly-assembled top team that he wanted to make living expenses a key priority, and give people a “sense that help is coming” on costs. It comes after he announced a VAT…
A government ends and a new government begins, determined to make a splash with its early policy announcements. We can expect to see and hear plenty from the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his senior ministers in the coming days, making arguments, travelling the country and trying to make an impact. Burnham’s new cabinet…
Later this week, he is expected to change the government’s stance on oil and gas exploitation, with a new energy secretary in place. Those Labour MPs worried about the Green Party taking their seats will be concerned about this – but a lot more will be worried about whether this could be seen to be…
Andy Burnham will promise to give people “more breathing room” when he gives his first speech as prime minister outside No 10 on Monday. He is expected to say he is “acutely conscious” of the UK’s high turnover of prime ministers – and that politics needs to be more stable and responsible. And he is…
Burnham was officially declared Labour Party leader on Friday following a short contest in which he was the only candidate, having secured the backing of 379 MPs. Some opposition parties have urged Burnham to call a general election in order to ensure he has a mandate for his premiership. However, Powell insisted Burnham would stick…
“This reprioritisation of public resource shows a change in direction towards improving everyday life and strengthening local economies over expensive national government schemes.” Plans for a digital ID scheme had initially been introduced by Sir Keir ahead of Labour’s conference last year. At the time, Starmer argued that mandatory digital ID for workers would make…
