Andy Burnham will be bolder but stick to Labour manifesto, Lucy Powell says

Key Points:

• Andy Burnham, the new Labour leader, pledges to uphold the 2024 Labour manifesto promises while adopting a bolder and more ambitious approach focused on the cost of living and the economy, according to deputy leader Lucy Powell.
• Burnham has scrapped the Digital ID scheme, citing its cost and distraction from government priorities, signaling a reset in Labour's policy focus under his leadership.
• Plans under Burnham's government include new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, increased public ownership of water and energy companies, and a new council house-building program, reflecting a pragmatic but more interventionist economic stance.
• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized Burnham as a "people pleaser" lacking clear policy details, while former Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg defended private capital's role in the water industry amid Labour's push for nationalization.
• Burnham will formally become prime minister after Sir Keir Starmer's resignation is accepted by King Charles, after which Burnham will form a new government and begin appointing key ministers.