As Prime Minister Andy Burnham embarks on his first major policy blitz, he has been accused by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch of behaving like a regional mayor rather than a national leader. In a stinging rebuke delivered in London on Thursday, Ms Badenoch criticised the Prime Minister's series of early announcements as an unfunded 'spending spree', warning that his lack of transparency and clear funding plans could have far-reaching consequences for the UK economy.
Since taking office, Mr Burnham has unveiled a raft of measures aimed at tackling the cost of living crisis, which he describes as a 'policy blitz' to give people 'breathing space'. Among these are proposals to restore a £2 cap on bus fares across England, mirroring a policy he maintained during his tenure as Greater Manchester mayor, and cutting VAT on household electricity bills. Additionally, plans to reduce business rates for pubs and live music venues, and efforts to secure more accommodation for rough sleepers, are projected to cost approximately £1.8 billion in total.
The Government insists that these plans are properly accounted for, funded through a combination of identified savings, reallocation of funds within existing departmental budgets, and future tax increases targeting what they describe as 'anti-social businesses'. However, Ms Badenoch challenged this explanation, calling on Mr Burnham to be more transparent about the source of these savings and to explicitly rule out broader tax rises in the upcoming autumn Budget.
Ms Badenoch further criticised Mr Burnham for 'floating' potential future policies without concrete funding proposals, such as providing social care free at the point of use, a significant expansion of council house building, and increasing the tax-free personal allowance. She contended that such speculative announcements demonstrated a lack of clear direction, stating, "He doesn't actually know what he wants to do, he is thinking out loud. All that we know is it's going to cost a lot of money."
The Conservative leader drew a direct comparison to Mr Burnham's previous role as Greater Manchester's first elected mayor from 2017, where she argued he was handed a 'big pot of someone else's money' and had the freedom to decide how to spend it. She urged Mr Burnham to "start acting like" the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, rather than a regional mayor.
In response, Labour defended the Prime Minister's early actions, stating he was "bringing back hope after Kemi Badenoch's Tory Party nearly broke Britain." They emphasised Mr Burnham's commitment to being a "cost of living government," promising further support once wider tax and spending decisions are finalised. The debate highlights a fundamental difference in approach between the new government and the opposition regarding fiscal responsibility and transparency.