Britain’s New Prime Minister Promises the Panacea of a ‘Ten-Year Plan’ That Would Move the Country to the Left

LONDON — Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, envisions a future that he claims will resolve nagging economic problems and brighten the spirits of Britons jaded by the unfulfilled promises of its leaders.He’s well aware, he acknowledged in his first speech on the job, that British citizens are “fed up” by political promises and infighting in the quest to “regain our stability once again.” His solution, he said, will rest on “a ten-year plan” that will unfold in the next few days.Mr. Burnham’s policies, though, if actually fulfilled, would represent a reversal of the conservative reforms promoted by the late Margaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady” Conservative who served as prime minister between 1979 and 1990. Ms. Thatcher battled socialist “reform” that had stripped Britain of much of its economic vitality in the decades after World War II.In an interview with the Times, Mr. Burnham promised to break with the policies of the previous Labour prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, who took office on a similar wave of optimism two years ago but soon lost popularity and was forced to resign as party leader.Mr. Burnham, who took over the Labour Party on Friday and was elected prime minister Monday by the Labour majority in the House of Commons, promises reforms that may take Britain considerably further to the left. Labour is sure to face a conservative reaction in the next general elections for parliament three years hence if not sooner.The latest change in Britain’s top leadership “is much more about the real show in town,” he told The Times. What counts, he said, “is that pressure people feel around their finances.”In his own campaign for a seat in the House of Commons after resigning as mayor of Greater Manchester, he said people told him they “can’t go out for a pint on Friday, can’t go out with the kids, can’t go out on a holiday — that’s where it is, isn’t it.” For starters, he said, his first order as prime minister will be “to end rough sleeping in our country” — a reference to the several thousand people estimated to sleep with no roof over their heads, even in a state-sponsored shelter, every night.More practically, the Times said Mr. Burnham expected quite soon “to make broader pledges to take public control of utilities, overhaul social care and usher in the biggest programme of council house-building (construction of government-subsidized apartments) since the postwar period.”Mr. Burnham, in his rise as a left-leaning politician, has been extremely critical of President Trump, but they may find common ground on North Sea oil, a source of income that the government has severely limited due to environmental concerns.“The people of Aberdeen are dancing in the streets because the new PM will open the North Sea for oil drilling,” Mr. Trump posted, referring to the city in Scotland that has grown on the strength of the discovery of oil and gas in the North Sea more than 60 years ago.Mr. Burnham has said he won’t approve licenses for new drilling but is expected to remove constraints on existing operations. He and Mr. Trump, however, may well have differences on other issues.“Defense spending is probably the biggest,” the BBC reported. “Despite recent increases, the US wants to see far greater investment in UK defense.” Mr. Burnham has said he still aims for Britain’s military budget to reach 3.5 percent of its GDP, the level that Mr. Trump holds up for all NATO members, but he’s not expected to reverse Mr. Starmer’s refusal to support American forces militarily in the war with Iran.Whatever he does, Mr. Burnham is sure to face a strong response from conservatives, especially from Reform UK, the party formed by Nigel Farage that is challenging the deeply entrenched, historic Conservative Party for hearts. minds, and votes.At issue is whether the British really want a socialist system in which essential services would fall under government control.“Burnham’s new era of big state,” said the top headline across page one of the Daily Telegraph, the leading voice for British conservatives.Mr. Burnham, the Telegraph warned, “is poised to extend the reach of the state, with the National Lottery among his proposed targets for a campaign of nationalisations (sic).” The paper said he was also “eyeing public ownership of key industries, in a move that will be seen as an attack on industries.”

Britain’s New Prime Minister Promises the Panacea of a ‘Ten-Year Plan’ That Would Move the Country to the Left

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