We learned a lot about Andy Burnham this week.
We learned that he does gesture politics. £2 bus fares. Very small tax cuts, and £20 a week off pubs' business rates.
At the same time, we learned that he does not get the bigger picture. The changes to VAT were temporary, and only affected electricity. The cuts to bus fares did not necessarily help regular commuters. The changes to business rates ignored cafés, restaurants and other places essential to community life. He revealed a bias towards alcohol.
Behind all that there was something more sinister. He, and his chancellor, committed themselves to upholding the so-called fiscal rules, which are the voluntary restraints that governments place on themselves to limit spending and guarantee austerity.
Beyond the gestures, then, Andy Burnham had nothing to say. There were no changes to social security. The problems with Carer's Allowance will continue. The bedroom tax is still there. The penal regime within Universal Credit appears set to be maintained.
He reappointed Pat McFadden as Work and Pensions Secretary, and he appears to have a pathological dislike of those making benefit claims, especially for disability, in which it appears he does not believe.
He reappointed Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary as well. Her racist approaches to migration will continue.
Reappointing Lisa Nandy means that Labour's attack on a free media in the UK will also be maintained.
It appears Burnham is going to allow further exploitation of the North Sea for oil and gas, abandoning any green credentials that he might have.
He is going to let Donald Trump use US air force bases in the UK for “defensive” measures against Iran, when there are no defensive measures against Iran; there are only offensive ones.
We now know that his commitment to devolution does not extend to allowing further independence referendums. He is in denial of democracy and freedom of choice.
We have heard nothing about electoral reform.
There has been no hint that the government might reduce its borrowing costs by taking control of the Bank of England, and cutting the interest paid on central bank reserve accounts, because doing either would remove the excuse for austerity.
And as for the economic consequences of Trump's war, we got no indication that he is even aware that there might be consequences, let alone that they need planning for.
Gestures and £2 bus fares, with significant terms and conditions applying, might work to make you a popular mayor, but such things are desperately microeconomic. The problem is, Andy Burnham is now in charge of the macroeconomy. There is very little sign that he is aware of this as yet, understands anything about it, or intends to make any changes.
As a mayor, Burnham got used to living within the constraints he was given. It seems as though he plans to run his premiership on the same basis. What he has not appreciated is that, as Prime Minister, he can change the constraints. Either he has not yet appreciated that as yet, or he does not wish to make those changes. That, of course, may be the deeper truth. But the only thing that I suspect is left to discover about Burnham is which of those two excuses for inaction he is going to opt for.
Thanks for reading this post.
You can share this post on social media of your choice by clicking these icons:
There are links to this blog's glossary in the above post that explain technical terms used in it. Follow them for more explanations.
You can subscribe to this blog's daily email here.
And if you would like to support this blog you can, here:
Buy me a coffee!
Thanks for the summary of his underwhelm. I think I’ve said in previous comments here that the danger of national politicos cutting their teeth in local politics is that they internalize arguing about budgets and don’t realise that it needn’t be that way at a national level, that arguments are founded differently for sovereign currencies.
He has been in power for 4 days and already everyone is writing him off for crying out loud. No wonder right wing parties rule a disproportionate amount of time when we spend our energies handing them ammunition. Fagash and his cronies are loving it.
But let’s get real. He is a right winger leading a right wing party. Have you not noticed that? If not, you are part of the problem.
Thanks. Have you nots noticed that parties promoting real left wing policies don’t get into power? If not maybe you are part of the problem.
Seriously though of course he is well to the right of where many of us want to be, but changes take time, small steps leading from the rear if you like, seeing as we live in a broadly conservative country. Owen Jones was labelling him a failure on tuesday…………I can hear Fagash scoffing “even his supporters think he is a failure” which goes round and round the meeja, picked up by the MSM, and its curtains. Fagash for PM. Will Owens head pop up apologising for fucking us all up??
In the spirit of compromise which the left wing dont understand, I at least am prepared to give him a year to start making some real progressive policies, anyone else?…….naahh.
I think you need to learn quite a lot about epistemic humility. Right now your apparent open mindedness is matched by an arrogance about the left that is deeply unbecoming.
As the old saying goes: “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
The real bosses behind the scenes haven’t changed, just the face in front. Burnham has rearranged the deck chairs, nothing more.
True
And today Rayner announces no to rent controls. Rents can only be increased once a year to the property’s “open market rent”. But Labour doesn’t seem to understand that it is the “open market rent” that is the problem.
The word “affordable” still plays no part in Labour thinking when it comes to housing. Rent extraction for millions will clearly go on.
Apparently he, Burnham, was even afraid to meet the largely Unionist supporting media in Glasgow yesterday. And of course with him refusing us “permission” to hold another Independence Referendum, coupled with the “elevation” of Sarwar to the House of Lords, that’s us back in our box. As a member, when oh when are the S.N.P going to grow a pair, and actually take some practical steps to ensure we at least get an opportunity to express our desire to become an Independent nation once again, or not.
The SNP leadership got comfortable with life in Holyrood far too long ago.
“as Prime Minister, he can change the constraints. Either he has not yet appreciated that as yet, or he does not wish to make those changes” <p>
If as seems likely he is merely the new face of the Labour Together faction which used illegal funds to take over the Labour Party, it may well be that he/they have been paid by their ‘donors’ – private finance/private healthcare/Israel lobbyists – not to make those changes
I’ve posted a comment along these lines elsewhere this week, but feel it bears repeating: Burnham’s government is the same auld mince but with a Stone Roses soundtrack.
Well Burnham is very definitely not the one we’ve been waiting for!
I see that Angela Rayner is tacitly admitting that LINO will not be able to meet its housing target of 1.5 m new homes during this Parliament. I always thought that Steve Reed made a prat of himself with his “build, baby, build” mantra. Anyone with an iota of experience of house building and the planning system knew he was making a rod for his own back. The problem was never the planning system but the house builders. I fear a public backlash come the next general election.
,
Much to agree with
The miserable scale of these announcements shows that Andy Burnham is just humouring and laughing at everyone.
All I hear and read is ” how are we going to fund it”. I find myself shouting at the TV. “There is plenty of money. Why don’t you listen to Richard Murphy” ? It doesn’t matter who the participants in the debate are. Politicians, journalists, economists. None of them mention the fiat currency. They still speak about tax payers money. When will they get it into their thick heads there is enough money to fund our needs.
I wish I could answer that
Sadly @Stephen Mitchell, I have come to the conclusion that it is not about “getting it into their thick heads”.
I have come to believe they fully understand it. It just suits them, their donors and their ideology to perpetuate the status quo. Fiddle around the edges a bit to look as if they give a damn but real change – Nah!
Now we’re getting the same excuses for Burnham that we got for Starmer. ‘Oh give him a chance’ ‘He’ll tack left when he gets settled’
Burnham was a fervant Blairite. Helped through PFI. Was one of the most vocal tub thumpers for the illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003. Voted for every military action going.
Also his energetic support of Israel and membership of the Labour Friends of Israel.
Why did anyone think he’d be any different?
Alex Beveridge: “As a member, when oh when are the S.N.P going to grow a pair, and actually take some practical steps to ensure we at least get an opportunity to express our desire to become an Independent nation once again, or not.”
What practical steps would you suggest? I, too, am a long-time member, and desire Scotland to be an independent nation once again. But we had that opportunity to express our desire at the Holyrood election just past, and more or less half of the population (the ones who bothered to vote) voted for unionist parties. Again. We seem stuck at around 50%.
We need a breakthrough. And frankly, I don’t know how to achieve it. How do you counteract the influence of the nearly 100% unionist media, rubbishing everything about the SNP and beating down Scotland every single minute? The miracle is that our SNP support is still also sticking …but how to get more on board? Dunno.
I really don’t know either how we break free from being a colony. The coverage of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is minimal in the UK. Australia has it spread across numerous channels all free. Sums it up for me.
The unionists I know are actually kind ordinary people. They have been brainwashed to think that Scotland would fail if independent. We should be lauding Norway at every possible opportunity. They are even better at football!!!
The message has to be simple, optimistic and not too technical. One important message is that the SNP will not have any mandate after independence and it will be up to everyone one of us to decide our future. I am sure that there will actually be lots of international support.
Much to agree with
And still nothing humane about Gaza even though he admitted that “we had got Gaza wrong” Time is running out to get it right.