Andy Burnham ‘taking country back to the 70s’ as he plots state takeovers | Politics | News
Andy Burnham has been accused of taking England “back to the 1970s” with his nationalization campaign. The new prime minister reportedly plans to bring a number of key sectors into public ownership, including the National Lottery, among the proposed targets of the campaign.
Mr Burnham, who will receive the keys to Number 10 later on Monday, will promise in his first speech as Prime Minister to give people “breathing space” against the rising cost of living. He will also urge the country to be honest about the challenges it faces and call for “reflection and solutions”. Robert Jenrick, Reform England’s economic spokesman, accused Mr Burnham of focusing on “damaging businesses” with nationalization plans.
To talk TelegramMr Jenrick said the Labor leader was “taking the country back to the 1970s under state control”.
Mr Burnham will seek to put more housing stock on the public balance sheet and will also consider temporarily nationalizing Thames Water to solve the debt crunch, according to the newspaper.
Mr Burnham could expand Labour’s plans to also bring local bus services under public control.
This will reportedly be based on the model Mr Burnham used as mayor of Greater Manchester.
The area became the first in England (outside London) to bring bus services back into public ownership, combining them with other modes of transport as part of the ‘Bee Network’.
Mr Burnham is expected to name his cabinet after his first speech as Prime Minister.
Mr Burnham has made clear that he wants to devolve power from Westminster as one of his key aims.
The new “No 10 North” in Manchester, which he will visit this week, will drive this change.
Promising a “reset of priorities”, Mr Burnham also announced he would scrap Sir Keir Starmer’s flagship digital identity program to focus money and attention on the cost of living.
Mr Burnham did not confirm reports that he was considering approving new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
But on Sunday Donald Trump claimed Mr Burnham had said he would do it and declared that people in Aberdeen would be “dancing in the streets”.
