What Burnham’s Got Wrong About Thatcherism

The Prime Minister misunderstands exactly why four decades of neoliberalism have failed the UK, writes Simon Nixon

Running what he promises will be the most radical government in Britain for 40 years must be an exhausting job, which is presumably why Andy Burnham felt the need to take a holiday just three weeks into it.

Yet, as normal politics resumes after a long hot summer, the rest of us are entitled to ask: where is this plan that the new Prime Minister assured us he had when he entered Downing Street? What we have had so far is a string of whimsical TikTok videos announcing a series of minor interventions to address the cost of living, plus vague talk of increased devolution to be driven from a new ‘No 10 North’. As bold statements of governing intent go, granting independence to the Bank of England it is not.

If Burnham is finding the going a bit tougher than he expected when he made his triumphant entry into the capital from Makerfield, who can blame him.