Andy Burnham latest: Labour deputy leader explains scrapping digital ID and addresses Cabinet speculation

Ahead of Cabinet announcements scheduled for Monday. Times Andy Burnham’s team has reportedly signaled sacked ministers can be expected to be notified on Sunday.

Staunch Starmer allies such as Peter Kyle, Liz Kendall and Steve Reed are expected to find themselves on the backbenchers in Mr Burnham’s shake-up on Monday.

Inflation in the UK is expected to ease last month in a welcome but temporary boost for Andy Burnham’s incoming Government ahead of a rise in the household energy price cap.

Official figures for Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation for June will be published on Wednesday, the week Mr Burnham takes over as prime minister.

Some economists think that the sharp fall in gasoline and diesel prices will help bring the overall inflation rate down to 2.4 percent in June from 2.6 percent in May.

Lucy Powell responded to Andy Burnham’s question about whether Thames Water could be nationalized again.

This comes amid reports that the country is planning to place its largest water company under a special management regime.

The Labor deputy leader told Sunday Morning’s Trevor Phillips: “Let’s see. There’s a lot of speculation around.

“This is an ongoing issue and concern in the government and has been around for months. The government has the power to place a distressed water company into special measures and let’s see whether the government should – or wants to – use those powers.”

“We’ve also promised to introduce new legislation on water reform. So there’s a real opportunity to look at how we can ensure that we have a sustainable water system in this country.”

Powell added that this is “something we can all see: privatization of water does not work.”

He concluded: “This competition has not been created. What we are seeing is that bills are getting higher and higher over years and years and years of lack of investment.”

Sir Keir Starmer congratulated England footballers who ended their World Cup campaign and premiership with a thrilling 6-4 victory over France.

Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick, with Ezri Konsa and Jude Bellingham also hitting, as England recovered from the disappointment of losing to Argentina in the semi-finals to take third place; It was his best World Cup final apart from winning the tournament in 1966.

Sir Keir, who will be replaced by Andy Burnham as Prime Minister on Monday, posted on X: “Great result tonight @England. You did us proud.”

Political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Labour’s deputy leader said scrapping digital identity “isn’t just about money”.

Lucy Powell told the BBC’s program with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday that the decision to scrap the project was about ensuring the government was “laser focused on the cost of living, focused on restructuring the economy, restructuring the political system in this country and clearing the decks, if you will, of all the other things that might distract the government and take its focus away”.

Asked how much money would be allowed to be spent on other priorities, he said: “The OBR has said it will cost I think £1.8bn over the coming years.

“This is not an insignificant amount of money. It will clearly be reprioritized and redistributed in different ways.”

“But as I said, it’s not just about money. It’s actually about interest and focus, so that the whole machinery of government can work to serve the agenda and the vision that the Labor government has put forward under Andy Burnham, and I think that’s important.”

Political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

The Labor deputy leader said there would be a “change of emphasis” on North Sea oil and gas but insisted Andy Burnham would stick to the party’s manifesto commitments.

Lucy Powell told the BBC that reports that the new prime minister might allow more drilling in the North Sea were “speculation” but added that Mr Burnham would take a “more pragmatic approach”.

He said: “We have clearly stated that the way to ensure energy security and reduce bills in the long term is to have our own, clean and much cheaper energy.

“But we’ve been absolutely clear that North Sea gas and oil is an important part of that transition. “It’s an important part of the mix and I think what Andy was talking about is taking a more pragmatic approach and working with the industry to make sure it can contribute to that transition and the mix that’s needed in the long term.

“So let’s see what he has to say about that. But I don’t think it’s a change of policy. It’s more of a change of emphasis.”

Political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Lucy Powell said speculation and briefings about who might take Cabinet positions were “appalling and uneducational”.

This was despite Andy Burnham’s promise to end the briefing culture in the party.

The Labor deputy leader told BBC News about the briefings for energy minister Ed Miliband: “There was a lot of speculation in the media about various people and it was quite appalling and uneducational to be honest.

“I know as political journalists, maybe you haven’t had a story to write about the Labor leadership crisis in the last few weeks because I’m actually really proud of how Labor have handled this transition and the way they’ve come together in consensus that Andy Burnham will be the next leader.

“And I think we’ve made a really good statement about ourselves over the last few weeks.

“And perhaps because political journalists can’t find many topics to write about, they look for other personalities and other conflicts to write about.”

Political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Deputy leader Lucy Powell said Andy Burnham would stick to Labor’s manifesto but insisted he would still take “bigger, bolder measures” to change the country.

He told BBC Breakfast: “He will stick to our manifesto. He was really clear about that and our manifesto talked about redistributing power. It talked about rewiring the country and it talked about taking on some vested interests.

“But I think Andy’s experience over the last 10 years, actually running outside Whitehall and central government, really understands the bigger, bolder measures that are needed to deliver on what the manifesto promises.

“And that’s what he wants to deliver. And I think you know that’s an exciting agenda that we can all get behind.”