Andy Burnham’s arrival in Downing Street yesterday has brought no real change to the government and no fresh mandate for its plans, according to Reform UK chairman Lee Anderson.
The new Prime Minister has presented his appointment as a major political reset, describing his leadership as the most significant change in British politics for four decades. But, speaking to Talk this morning, Anderson dismissed Burnham’s cabinet changes as little more than a reshuffling of familiar Labour figures.
“It’s the same old people. All he has done is reshuffle the same old faces, some of whom have been around that place for donkey’s years”, he said. “That’s all it is: the same people.”
Comparing the government to “a failing football team”, Anderson said Burnham had simply swapped “the players’ positions”.
He added: “The problem Andy Burnham has is that he may set off with good intentions, but he still has the same 400 backbench MPs behind him. If they don’t want him to do something, he won’t be allowed to do it.”
In a separate interview with GB News this morning, Anderson said that if Burnham does indeed make the sweeping changes he’s promised, then they must be put directly to voters.
“Look, the Labour government was not elected on this”, Anderson said. “If [Burnham] is going to embark on something as significant as a 10-year plan or the biggest change in politics for 40 years, then surely he has to do the right thing and ask the British public to vote for it.”
Anderson challenged Burnham to call a general election if he genuinely believed the public supported his agenda.
“If he is as confident in these policies and plans as he says he is, then surely, if they are a good thing, the British public will vote for them”, he said. “But he knows they won’t.”
The new Prime Minister has presented his appointment as a major political reset, describing his leadership as the most significant change in British politics for four decades. But, speaking to Talk this morning, Anderson dismissed Burnham’s cabinet changes as little more than a reshuffling of familiar Labour figures.
“It’s the same old people. All he has done is reshuffle the same old faces, some of whom have been around that place for donkey’s years”, he said. “That’s all it is: the same people.”
Comparing the government to “a failing football team”, Anderson said Burnham had simply swapped “the players’ positions”.
He added: “The problem Andy Burnham has is that he may set off with good intentions, but he still has the same 400 backbench MPs behind him. If they don’t want him to do something, he won’t be allowed to do it.”
In a separate interview with GB News this morning, Anderson said that if Burnham does indeed make the sweeping changes he’s promised, then they must be put directly to voters.
“Look, the Labour government was not elected on this”, Anderson said. “If [Burnham] is going to embark on something as significant as a 10-year plan or the biggest change in politics for 40 years, then surely he has to do the right thing and ask the British public to vote for it.”
Anderson challenged Burnham to call a general election if he genuinely believed the public supported his agenda.
“If he is as confident in these policies and plans as he says he is, then surely, if they are a good thing, the British public will vote for them”, he said. “But he knows they won’t.”
