Andy Burnham latest: Trump claims incoming PM will ‘open North Sea oil’ and ‘move horrible windmills’

Former British Army commander Lord Dannatt has expressed his disappointment at the idea of ​​Wes Streeting joining the Ministry of Defence, claiming the former health secretary does not know the “square root of anything” about defence.

He told Lewis Goodall on LBC: “Defence is a complex portfolio, it takes time to understand that. He has no background in that. Dan Jarvis has a very good track record in that. John Healey had experience in that role.”

“I would be very disappointed to see someone like Wes Streeting come in who knows the square root of almost nothing about defense and is going to have to start from scratch, and that will take time and energy from people to inform him before he is in a position to start making decisions.”

He added that Dan Jarvis, who will be stripped of his Cabinet role when Andy Burnham steps in, “could do a really good job” if given the funds to increase GDP investment to 3.5 per cent by 2035.

US President Donald Trump claimed Andy Burnham would open the North Sea “all the way”.

He posted on Truth Social: “The people of Aberdeen in Scotland are dancing in the streets because new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced he’s going to open up the priceless North Sea Oil!”

“It is one of the Largest Resources of Quality Oil in the World, with Capacity for hundreds of years, much of it yet to be found, and will transform the UK from a Poverty-Face Disaster into one of the Richest Countries in the World!

“Britain pays Norway Billions of Dollars a year to buy its Oil from a less valuable part of the North Sea – How ridiculous is this!

“It is also said that the UK will move the old and scary looking windmills that loom over and destroy the City of Aberdeen.

“This will be a great day for the Country and will be greatly appreciated by all.”

Investors in Thames Water say they are willing to discuss putting the utility under greater “public control” following reports that Andy Burnham could temporarily nationalize the struggling company.

Mike McTighe, a turnaround expert working with Thames Water’s largest creditor group, said UK and international investors were keen to work with new ministers to “rebuild confidence” in the debt-laden firm.

Mr McTighe said: “We want to meet the new ministers as soon as possible to discuss how we can work together in the interests of customers, including increasing public control over the company’s operations.

“We are ready and willing to begin the long process of recapitalising Thames Water, returning it to investment grade and turning it around.

“We urgently need the government’s involvement to start this process,” he said.

The Labor deputy leader was confident Andy Burnham would outline what he meant by Labor becoming “truly Labour”.

Lucy Powell said with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday: “He’s not trying to leave Reform behind, he’s not trying to leave the Greens behind.

“This is about giving people, ordinary people, security at work, security in their homes, a home they can afford, and living in a community they can be proud of.

“Knowing that their children will have an opportunity for the future.

“These are the kinds of basic necessities that ordinary people desire, want to have, and they want to know that they have a government on their side, and that means taking on some of the vested and special interests that have run this country for so long.

“We have seen an overly centralized political base, which means too many communities are left behind, we have seen an overly privatized economy, and public services and the basic needs of life are not working in the interests of ordinary people, so we are giving people that agency as well.”

Kemi Badenoch slammed Andy Burnham as a “people pleaser” in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday.

He reposted a clip of the interview on social media: “We all want Andy Burnham to succeed, but Britain doesn’t need a people-pleaser in Downing Street. Andy Burnham can tour the country and promise anything to anyone.”

“But sooner or later he must come under scrutiny, answer the tough questions and tell us what his plan really is.”

Andy Burnham posted a video on social media of himself running around the capital with Mo Farah before moving into 10 Downing Street.

Andy Burnham has been encouraged to work with other parties after pledging to “grasp the nettles” of social care reform.

The new prime minister has pledged to “spend political capital” to tackle England’s “broken” social care system, describing it as a “huge” priority for the public.

As Mr Burnham prepares to enter Downing Street on Monday, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he had already written to him to offer his support for cross-party talks.

Sir Ed, who has made social care reform a central focus of his leadership, said it was vital that Mr Burnham worked with other parties on the issue.

he said Times Radio: “My red line is that he does it on his own and doesn’t talk to anyone, because that’s the way to fail.

“As the years go by, government after government, prime minister after prime minister, if they haven’t engaged in cross-party interaction, it’s not going to last.”