Burnham vows to restore Labour’s ‘broad church’ in pledge to change party culture to MPs
Andy Burnham has made a pitch to Labor MPs promising a culture change in the way their views are valued, after some complained Keir Starmer was presiding over “a reign of terror”.
In the single-candidate leadership race held for MPs via Zoom on Monday evening, Independent We understand that Mr Burnham emphasized his desire to recognize that Labor is a “broad church” with a wide range of views.
The votes took place on Monday, with Mr Burnham confirmed as the next prime minister after an extra 27 nominations from Labor MPs were nominated, taking his total to 349.
Labor MPs had complained that Sir Keir’s time as leader had seen “narrow factionalism”, with MPs being sidelined from the party, sometimes flogging policy disagreements only for the leadership to U-turn and agree with them.
These include some MPs who were temporarily kicked out of the Labor Party because they wanted to end the two-child benefit cap, which Sir Keir eventually agreed to and now claims it is part of his legacy. Meanwhile, Mr Burnham has vowed to return the whip to Hull MP Karl Turner, who was suspended over his dispute over diluting the right to a jury trial.
At a briefing for the hustings he saw IndependentMr Burnham was preparing to ask Labor MPs to “make sure the Parliamentary Labor Party (PLP) is accountable, visible and accessible. He said: “We need a feedback loop from the PLP to communities and back to the leadership and cabinet. This is essential for good policy making and delivery.
It also “needed to emphasize that the Labor movement is, and always has been, a broad church. Cabinet and appointments will reflect this, as well as contribution, experience and commitment”.
Mr Burnham opened his remarks by paying tribute to former Tory and Reform heavyweight Ann Widdecombe, who was murdered last week, and said his thoughts and those of the PLP were sent out to her friends, family and everyone who loved her.
He insisted that “this is a time to come together, to think about his family and to ensure that the police have the resources and space they need to deliver justice in the wake of this horrific act of violence.”
In his first opportunity to address the PLP in its entirety, Andy set out his priorities for the country: good growth in every postcode, more power in communities and keeping the cost of living at the forefront of the government’s work to give people breathing room.
He paid tribute to Sir Keir for fulfilling his promise to Hillsborough families
The former Manchester mayor, who recently won the Makerfield by-election, underlined his aim to create “a team and culture where everyone is valued, seen and listened to”. “This is an important moment for the country, and our voters are counting on us all to come together,” he warned.
And he has pledged to lead from the front on culture change, political direction and narrative. But change of this magnitude is a team effort and will need everyone to do their part.
Ahead of the election, one Labor MP described Mr Burnham’s arrival as a “huge relief”.
The MP said: “Keir and I lived under a kind of reign of terror. The threats and atrocities of even defending your constituents were appalling.
“Andy isn’t just a breath of fresh air, he’s like a liberation.”
