Hope, scepticism and ‘a bit of Tony Blair’: Readers react to Burnham’s first speech as PM
Andy Burnham’s first speech as Prime Minister split in two Independent Reactions to the new Prime Minister were immediate from readers, with reactions ranging from warm comparisons dating back to Tony Blair’s first day in office to weary skepticism about yet another change of face in Downing Street.
Speaking outside No 10 after ‘kissing hands’ with the King, Burnham promised ‘a new sense of national unity’, a ten-year plan and urgent measures to ease the cost of living crunch; This was enough to suggest a real change of direction for some readers. Others were not convinced and dismissed it as the new slogan of the seventh prime minister in a decade.
But it was one specific pledge that attracted the harshest reaction: Burnham’s pledge to ‘end rough sleeping in our country’, backed by £340 million.
Readers have noted that he made an almost identical promise as Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017, targeting 2020, and missed it; official figures show that the rate of insomnia in the region has increased for the fourth consecutive year.
Here’s what you need to say:
A reminder of Blair’s first day
We shouldn’t get carried away, but this speech, and the reaction Burnham received from those in Downing Street, reminded me a bit of Tony Blair’s first day as prime minister.
He has warmth and charisma.
hurricane8
How will he do this in the whole country?
So the first thing he said he would do was save the streets from ‘hard slumber’. In 2017 Burnham pledged to end rough sleeping in Manchester by 2020. Not only did he miss the target; official figures show the crisis continues and the number of rough sleepers in the region has increased for four consecutive years. If he couldn’t deliver on his promise in Manchester in nine years, how can he do it across the country?
munch58
Lack of policy detail
I wish Andy Burnham good luck – we should all do that – but I am concerned about the lack of policy detail. If you are presenting yourself as an alternative to the previous incumbent, you need to be clear about what your policies are. The key changes I want to see are: a timetable for the introduction of proportional representation, a commitment to rejoin the EU, support for those who pay high energy bills, a plan to boost productivity and a commitment to the triple lock beyond this parliament.
Musil
Could this be what you have in mind?
It’s interesting what Burnham has to say about ending rough sleeping. It is clear that the construction of new council housing will not have any impact for many years, or even decades, to come, and if anything it is unlikely to replace the decline in the construction of housing association homes over the last few years. Yet hard-left, centrally planned regimes have previously managed to reduce the visibility of rough sleeping. In the Soviet Union, for example, they introduced ‘anti-parasitism’ laws that allowed sleepers to be sent to labor camps; Residency requirements would prevent them from living in major cities (perhaps in devolved mayoralties) and force them to become effectively invisible, relegated to rural areas. Could this be what you have in mind?
christian
He’s already very good at acting.
There are many challenges facing Andy Burnham starting today, and none of them will be solved overnight. It is really a good thing that it has already decided to take steps to exploit our North Sea oil and gas reserves. Its commitment to addressing the shortcomings in our social care system is encouraging, as is its plan to increase social and affordable housing.
JanetC
Couldn’t do it in Manchester
To be fair to Burnham, the purpose of these speeches is to strike an optimistic tone and thank supporters, not to announce policy. What was surprising was the decision to make a very specific announcement about rough sleeping, backed by a significant amount of cash. While ending rough sleeping is a noble ambition, it has failed to deliver in Manchester, and with everyone strapped for cash, I wonder how the £340 million allocated for this scheme will play out with voters struggling to pay their own bills.
Tanaquil2
Really ‘whatever’
I have two problems with Burnham. The first is his Blairite background. But even then my second problem is that this is almost verbatim what Starmer told Labor members to win the leadership before he turned his back on the people who voted for him. I am now so worn out by the lies of past prime ministers that I cannot accept anything they say. It’s really ‘whatever’.
Get OutMyLand
IMF with a begging bowl
He said he would build a ‘new economy’. We have a high-cost, high-tax, slow-growth economy, with increasing regulatory and employment costs placed on employers. The rich, investors and retired middle classes can and do go. So what is Burnham’s road map for a ‘new economy’ that will not result in the IMF’s begging bowl?
pablo
I just change your face and glasses
It looks like they’re changing faces and glasses just for the sake of it. I had no idea what was wrong with Starmer (‘he was boring’, so what). Burnham has no ideas other than a new slogan: instead of ‘smash the gangs’ or ‘my dad was a widget maker’ it’s now ‘there’s hope in every postcode’.
Pick someone, anyone, and stick with it, at least have the courage of your convictions LP, no matter who you appoint.
indyuser12
He didn’t have the courage to talk about the EU
Rejoining the EU would probably solve most of our problems, but most politicians had no courage to talk about the EU, even though it was an open secret that they agreed privately about it.
triccuz
Some of the comments in this article have been edited for brevity and clarity.
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