5 key takeaways from Andy Burnham’s first speech as Labour leader
Here’s what we learned from Burnham’s speech this morning
Andy Burnham has made his first speech after being crowned as Labour leader at a special conference in London this morning. In it, he vowed to make the party “the Labour people once knew”. To the country at large, he said that the UK had “turned its back” on the working class and pledged to give people “hope back”.
Here are the five key things we learned from the speech.
- A challenge to neoliberalism
Burnham said that politicians have failed to change “a political culture and an economic model that simply doesn’t work well enough for ordinary people”. He said that the four decades of neoliberalism, which started under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, “have not been kind to places that built our party, nor to the communities across the UK in rural and coastal areas”. Burnham pledged to “be better”.
- An end to factionalism
Burnham said he will work “relentlessly” to change the culture in Labour and build “one Labour team”. He said that Labour won’t beat the country’s “new-right” if the party is consumed by infighting. He said he will fight against infighting and factionalism, and the insidious briefing culture that goes with it. Burnham said he will not seek to suspend or punish members’ who have principled views that may be different from his and that he will respect “all shades of opinion”.
- ‘Top team will reflect all parts of our party and all communities’
The new Labour leader claimed he hasn’t yet decided who will be in his top team and cabinet, but that he will do so soon. He said when he does, “it will reflect all parts of our party” and “all communities”.
- Political direction
Burnham said he will set a direction that is “distinctively Labour”. He said “We won’t try to outgreen the Greens or out-Reform Reform, or doing what we’ve done in the past of wearing too many Tory clothes.” He said “we win by being us, boldly, confidently, authentically us, Labour”. Burnham returned to his criticism of the 1980s, arguing that it was the time that “political power was centralised” and “economic power was privatised”. He said the surrender of control of essential public services, including housing, water, energy and transport had left people exposed to higher costs and concentration of wealth in the hands of fewer people.
- ‘Leader for all of the UK’
Burnham promised that he would be “a leader for the north, the south, the east, the west, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland”. He pledged to unite the country to a common cause. Echoing his previous commitment to devolve government from Westminster, Burnham also said he will take back power from Whitehall and give it back to different areas around the country.
What happens next?
Burnham said he will announce his top team “soon”, ahead of becoming prime minister on Monday. Meanwhile, figures close to Burnham say his “No 10 North” operation in Manchester is also expected to open on Monday.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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