Burnham may be a new Labour leader but Britain needs more than a different face wearing the same political clothes

AFTER years of political upheaval, nobody can blame the public for hoping Andy Burnham might do better than Sir Keir Starmer. Families are still struggling with the cost of living. Andy Burnham must prove he has a plan for Britain after taking the keys to No10 Credit: Reuters Sir Keir Starmer has left behind flatlining growth, record taxes, rising unemployment and an immigration system ‘out of control’ Credit: PA:Press Association Businesses are finding it harder to hire and invest. Illegal immigration remains out of control. People want a government that will stop talking and start fixing things. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! But hope is not a plan, and becoming PM is not a substitute for preparing to be one. Keir Starmer failed because Labour came into government without having done the hard work. He leaves behind flatlining growth, record taxes, weaker business confidence, rising unemployment, higher energy bills and an immigration system that is out of control. The Conservative Party must be honest too. We got things wrong. We lost trust because we promised more than we delivered and did not always show we understood the pressures people were facing. That is why, under new leadership, we have done things differently. I spent time listening to people across the country. We examined what went wrong. We developed detailed plans on welfare, defence, energy, immigration and economic growth. We set those plans out in our alternative King’s Speech. Only after doing that work am I asking the country to make me Prime Minister. Most read in The Sun Illegal immigration remains out of control. People want a government that will stop talking and start fixing things Credit: Getty Images Rachel Reeves has shown where a government without business experience can lead Credit: PA Andy Burnham appears to be doing it the other way round. He has become Prime Minister first. He is announcing policies second. Then, astonishingly, he plans to go on a listening tour. The country can see that makes no sense, but Labour think it is a clean slate. The public is entitled to ask what his programme actually adds up to. What is his plan for welfare? Labour MPs continually demand more spending and ask who can be taxed to pay for it. Britain cannot carry on becoming a welfare state with a country attached. What is his plan for defence? For energy bills? What will he do to make it easier for businesses to hire, invest and create good jobs? What will he cut if he wants to spend more? And who will pay if he refuses to control spending? Talk of wealth taxes may sound as though someone else will pick up the bill. But governments that spend without restraint never stop with someone else. The cost ­eventually reaches working ­families, small businesses and people trying to build something for themselves. The people Burnham surrounds himself with matter too. A government filled with people who have never run a business, tried to make payroll or worked for themselves will struggle to understand the damage caused by higher taxes and heavier regulation. Rachel Reeves has already shown where that approach leads. But instead of facing this scrutiny, Labour have blocked our attempts to make Parliament sit longer and force Burnham to answer questions. They would rather disappear for the summer than give the public the accountability it deserves. There is another choice. Our borders plan would leave the European Convention on Human Rights and restore control over illegal immigration. Our five-point economic plan would lower energy costs, cut taxes and red tape, support business and make hiring easier. We will control welfare spending so that taxes can come down responsibly. Our defence plans recognise that protecting the country is the first duty of government, not an optional extra after paying benefits. Andy Burnham may be a new Labour leader. But Britain needs more than a different face wearing the same political clothes. Britain does not need a government that only starts asking questions after reaching No10. We need a government that has listened, learned and prepared before taking office. There’s only one party that is acting with common sense, has got a plan and will unite the country — the Conservatives. Comment now