I’ll buy British on a scale never seen before vows new Chancellor John Healey as he reveals plans to turbocharge economy

JOHN Healey today vows to go on a “buy British” blitz on a scale the country has never seen before. The new Chancellor said every pound the government spends will be focused on creating new jobs and backing businesses in the UK. Chancellor John Healey arrives at 10 Downing Street for Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s first cabinet meeting Credit: Getty Chancellor John Healey during new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s first Cabinet meeting in Downing Street Credit: PA In his first interview since Andy Burnham put him in charge of the Treasury, Mr Healey said he wants to turbocharge UK plc. And he vowed to “lift that pessimism” that has descended on Brits clobbered by the cost of living crisis and give people “hope for the future”. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! His boosterist words are in contrast to the more gloomy tone Sir Keir Starmer’s regime adopted about the economy in its first months in government. Speaking exclusively to The Sun on Sunday, Mr Healey said: “We will make every government department a growth department – backing Britain. “You will see this as a determined drive that you have not seen before from a British government. “Buying British not if possible, but by design. So every procurement pound supports British jobs, British apprenticeships and British skills. “Driving wealth creation so the policy decisions we take in government help raise levels of investment and profit and innovation in British business.” In his old job as Defence Secretary, Mr Healey used his budget to buy kit from UK defence firms and create British jobs. Most read in The Sun Out of the 1,200 major defence contacts handed out, 86 per cent went to British firms. Mr Healey wants to roll that “Buy British” approach out across the government, and sees the new big devolution push as the perfect way to do that. “I will certainly be talking up the resilience and the potential of British business,” he adds. “I am as concerned about the cost of business as I am the cost of living. “I am really concerned that where we make government policy and government decisions, these can help raise the levels of investment, innovation and profit in British business.” Prime Minister Andy Burnham running near his house in Warrington, Cheshire. He is poised to announce plan to fix social care and turbocharge devolution in No10 Credit: PA Mr Burnham has used his first week as PM to announce a series of eye-catching cost of living policies to provide “more breathing space” to Brits struggling with their bills. Bus fares will be capped at £2, VAT taken off electricity bills and pubs and clubs will get a business rates tax cut. Westminster insiders have dubbed this cost of living blitz a “Tesco approach to government” after the supermarket’s famous catchphrase that “every little helps”. Each individual announcement is only small – designed to ease the pain of spiralling bills but not break the bank. Taken together, they are designed to show that Downing Street “gets it” and are serious about helping families struggling with their bills. “This is about demonstrating Andy Burnham’s view about how to lift the pessimism that people feel about their own prospects and the places they live”, Mr Healey said. “Andy Burnham talks about lifting the everyday pressures people feel. “When you see us taking those steps this week – that is what we are concerned about trying to do. “Give people a sense of hope for the future and a glimpse of the new economy and new hope we want to build for the future of this country.” Mr Healey sees boosting British business and easing the cost of living crisis as two sides of the same coin. Providing good British jobs is the best way of ensuring people can buy a home and pay their bills, he believes. It has been a whirlwind week in British politics. On Monday morning Sir Keir bid farewell to No10, effectively toppled as Prime Minister by his own backbenchers. About an hour later a triumphant Mr Burnham arrived in Downing Street as the new Labour PM to cheering crowds. He had only been elected MP for Makerfield a month before, after spending 10 years out of Westminster as Greater Manchester Mayor. Mr Healey was a surprise pick for Chancellor. Shabana Mahmood and Ed Miliband were the frontrunners, but in the end they were appointed Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary respectively. It was an eye-catching choice. Mr Healey quit his job as Defence Secretary in Sir Keir’s government last month with a blistering attack on the then-PM for failing to properly fund the military. In a withering takedown of his old boss, Mr Healey said Sir Keir was “unable” and the Treasury “unwilling” to find the cash needed to keep Britain safe. Now he is in charge of the purse strings – and in charge of finding more money for defence. Mr Healey said Britain will spend 3.5 per cent of national income on defence by 2035 – which means an extra £25 billion a year according to the Resolution Foundation. Cabinet ministers are bracing themselves to have to find departmental cuts to pay for at least some of this uplift. Experts have also warned that Burnham’s regime will have to either raise taxes or borrow more to pay for higher spending. Mr Healey insisted he would not just stick extra spending on the credit card. And he is committed to Labour’s tax pledge not to raise income tax, VAT or NICS. “Fiscal credibility is the bedrock of economic stability”, he said. “Both Andy and I have talked about how we will work in lockstep to meet the fiscal rules and ensure we have got a buffer against uncertainty.” It remains unclear exactly how the new government will pay for the commitments it wants to make on spending. And when pressed on how and when defence spending will go up, Mr Healey brushes the question aside saying: “That is not a matter for this first week.” British politics used to be known around the world for its stability. Well not any more. Andy Burnham waves as he leaves No 10 North in Manchester after us first week as PM Credit: Getty Mr Burnham is the seventh Prime Minister in 10 years. Like those who came before him, he has arrived with sweeping promises to “change” Britain and transform the lives of struggling Brits. But many voters think politicians are more interested in squabbling and overthrowing each other than they are in governing. So what does Mr Healey make of the recent political bloodletting? Does he think Labour are in the last chance saloon – with one final shot to prove to Brits that they can be trusted with the keys to No10? “There is no doubt about it that government can do better, that politics can do better – and must,” Mr Healey said. Born in Wakefield, Mr Healey is a Rotherham MP and has represented his constituency since 1997. A keen fan of devolution – set to be turbocharged by Mr Burnham – he sees the battle to shift power out of Westminster as key to renewing trust in politicians. He said: “For me politics is always better when it’s closer to people. “You have seen with Andy Burnham and with me two politicians who keep their feet on the ground. “And I have to tell you I’m never happier than when I’m at home here in Rotherham. That’s it and we are not going to change.” Time will tell if the public agrees. ANGELA RAYNER AND LISA NANDY CABINET RESHUFFLE BATTLE ANDY Burnham’s Cabinet reshuffle was delayed because Angela Rayner and Lisa Nandy wanted the same job. Eyebrows were raised after it took the new PM seven and a half hours to announce his main Cabinet picks on his first day in No10. The Sun on Sunday can reveal part of the hold up was down to a row over who would become Britain’s Housing Secretary. A senior source said: “Lisa and Angie both wanted to be Housing Secretary. Angie got it – and it was always going to be her. “But that was part of the reason for the delay.” Ms Nandy arrived at No10 at 7.28pm and made it clear that she wanted to be the Housing and Local Government Secretary. She was there for nearly three hours – only leaving at 10.12pm. She ended up being kept in her job as Culture and Sport Secretary. Ms Rayner made a Cabinet return after quitting the frontbench last year after quitting for underpaying tax on her new home by £40,000. She arrived in No10 at 8.30pm and walked out an hour later with her old job back. Comment now