Andy Slaughter MP on why Andy Burnham is the right man for a daunting job

Cost of living, stretched public services and a fiscal squeeze made worse by war in the Middle East and Russian aggression: what Britain’s new PM is walking into

Guest blog by Andy Slaughter MP

Last Thursday I joined the early-morning queue of Labour MPs waiting to nominate Andy Burnham as the next Leader of the Labour Party. By the end of the day it was clear that no other candidate would either stand or, if they did, be able to secure sufficient support even to enter the contest.

Consequently, Andy will be ratified as Leader at a special conference this Friday. Then, because under our parliamentary system Labour commands the majority of the House of Commons, he will be invited by the King to form the next Government.

This will happen on Monday 20th after Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister and the King has sent for Mr Burnham to appoint him in Sir Keir’s place.

After another turbulent period in British politics, the constitutional machinery gears up to re-order the way we are governed and by who.  Some constituents disagree with this sequence of events.

They have written to me to say Keir was not given the chance of a full term to turn the country round or that he had in fact achieved a great deal in two years given the poisoned chalice he was handed.  Others think there should have been a contest for the Leadership rather than a ‘coronation’ of Andy Burnham.

A few voices call for a General Election – though that is not a widespread view from what I have observed.

I agree that Keir, whom I like and respect, has had a pretty brutal defenestration, but politics is a rough business.  He has a list of achievements of which to be proud, but there is an impatience in the country, properly reflected in the views of MPs, that wishes the government to go faster in dealing with the problems facing us.

For this reason I am glad we are not having a General Election or a leadership election.  There is no point in manufacturing a contest when the clear majority of the Commons wants the government to focus on a raft of serious problems at home and abroad.

To do so would be self-indulgent.

So the real question for all of us as citizens, as Mr Burnham appoints his cabinet (likely to happen within hours of his own appointment) and sets out his platform is can he get to grips with the crises facing Britain?

The good news is there is a surprising public consensus on what needs to be done.  Defence is a priority as is building stronger relationships with our allies, particularly in Europe.

Last week I took part in a debate on Middle East policy, with MPs from all parties  calling for action to prevent the violent settlement of and attacks on Palestine by Israeli forces and settlers.

The same day, in his first statement on foreign affairs, Andy Burnham admitted Labour had got it wrong on the tone and response and promised change. This is one example but it bodes well for a government that will listen and respond.

But it is domestic policy that will prove the immediate challenge.  The cost of living, the condition of our public services and the way Britian is governed.  These are not new issues, they have built over time.

The question is how quickly and effectively can progress be made?  Burnham is a good communicator, has a feel for what people want and how to address their aspirations.  He is also very experienced at national and regional government level.

I have had the opportunity to meet him one-to-one to raise issues that concern my constituents from the need for more affordable housing to opposing the third runway.

I am impressed by his grasp of issues and his openness to hear a wide range of views.

The biggest challenge he and all of us face is the ability to fund necessary public spending. This will be Burnham’s continuing test.  Taxation is high, borrowing is high, growth stalled, even if temporarily, because of the US-Iran war.

The double whammy of Russian aggression and American ambivalence to NATO means we will have to spend more on defence at a time of corridor care in the NHS and calls for more to be spent on the criminal justice system.

It is a daunting task.  However, the mood in Parliament is lifted, there is a renewed feeling that change for the better is possible and much of that comes from Burnham himself.

He brings a real confidence and positivity to an almost-impossible job. We should all wish him success as PM, though he like us will know that even the most popular leader can be caught by a changing tide.

Andy Slaughter is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hammersmith and Chiswick.