Overview

• Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said Britain needs “wholesale change” and questioned where Labour’s plan to “turn the country around” is ahead of the party conference.
• Burnham set out a left-leaning platform including public control of housing, energy, water, rail and buses, higher council tax on expensive southern homes, a 50p top rate, tax cuts for low earners and £40bn borrowing for council housebuilding.
• He told the Telegraph that Labour MPs have privately encouraged him to run for leader and he declined to rule out a bid, though he would need to resign as mayor, win a Commons seat and secure roughly 80 MP nominations.
• He criticised Keir Starmer’s leadership as “very factional” and accused No 10 of fostering a “climate of fear” that has left MPs “alienated and demoralised.”
• Positioning himself to work with other progressives, he backed proportional representation and said he could cooperate with the Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Corbyn, as Labour trails Reform UK in polls and prepares for a contentious conference.