Andy Burnham accused Tony Blair of not understanding what is happening in people’s lives and of underestimating inequality’s political impact. Blair argued Labour had no coherent plan and had introduced policies that held back business, urging Labour to avoid moving left and embrace a radical centre. Burnham said Blair’s critique does not mention inequality and warned that analysis must be rooted in affordability and people’s inability to live as they once could. Burnham is expected to challenge Keir Starmer for Labour leadership if Starmer wins a by-election, and he is also seeking election as an MP in the Makerfield by-election on 18 June. Wes Streeting said he would stand in a leadership contest, while Starmer said he will not leave the job.
"Andy Burnham has accused former Labour Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair of failing to understand "what's going on" in people's lives and underestimating the impact of inequality. Sir Tony used a 5,600 word essay to argue the Labour government had "no coherent plan" for the country and had introduced policies that had held back business. He urged Labour not to move to the left and to embrace the "radical centre" instead."
"Burnham, who is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership if he wins a by-election next month, told the Observer Sir Tony "doesn't mention inequality once" in his critique of where the Labour government has gone wrong. "If you don't get how that's driving politics now, if you are not rooting your analysis in the fact that people are unable to live and that things that were taken for granted are no longer affordable, then you are not understanding what's going on," said the mayor of Greater Manchester."
"Burnham is seeking to become an MP again on 18 June in the Makerfield by-election, on the outskirts of Wigan, in what is expected to be a closely-fought contest with Reform UK's Robert Kenyon. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting has also said he will stand if there is a leadership contest - but Sir Keir has said he will not walk away from the top job. "I hope Andy wins Makerfield, I think he's a great guy, I want to see him in Parliament," said Sir Tony."
""But you know, when he does this thing about 40 years of wasted I mean, OK, and what, nothing good happened in that period of Thatcher with the business community, or New Labour? "I don't think he really means that." Burnham, who was a junior minister under Sir Tony before being promoted to the cabinet by Gordon Brown, hit back in his Observer interview, saying: "The last 40 years has given us wide inequality - that's what's responsible for the abandonment of the centre. "People""
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