Kemi Badenoch: Andy Burnham is ‘people pleaser’ with ‘airy fairy’ plans

In her speech on Friday, Burnham vowed to deliver “the most significant moment of change in our politics in 40 years.”

In doing so, he made five commitments to the public, including working with other parties towards a “distinctly Labour” direction and devolving power from Westminster to local authorities.

But despite Burnham promising to stop taking points at Westminster, Badenoch told the BBC: “I will take as many points as possible if it means it’s right for this country.

“What I won’t do is give Andy Burnham a blank check.”

“What the country needs now is someone who can make tough decisions, who can confront Labor MPs who don’t want to do anything difficult. And that’s what worries me,” he added.

Badenoch emphasized that he liked Burnham, whom he had met before, and called him a “nice guy” and a “people pleaser”.

He explained: “This job isn’t a popularity contest. It makes the lives of all the people outside this building better. And it hasn’t said what it’s going to do yet. It’s all frivolous fairy stuff.”

Directly criticizing Burnham’s first speech as Labor leader, Badenoch accused the former Manchester mayor of being “a man who speaks to Labor and not to the country”.

“It was all about the Labor Party, this is the Labor Party, their factions, their problems. I’m not sure he realizes what the country’s priorities are and if he becomes prime minister without that, then I think he’s in for what he calls a rude awakening,” he told the BBC.

Burnham, who returned to parliament in a by-election a month ago, emerged as the sole leadership candidate earlier this week after being backed by 379 Labor MPs as well as all 11 of the party’s unions.

But ahead of his first speech on Monday, the new prime minister was coy about who would take on senior roles in his cabinet.