Burnham outlines plans for utilities, housing, and North Sea drilling
11 reported3 unconfirmed
According to a single-source report from The Guardian, incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham has outlined several policy priorities, including public control of utilities, potential new North Sea drilling, and a major council house building program. The report states Burnham has pledged to take more public control of key utilities such as water, beginning with Thames Water, which serves 16 million customers and has been on the brink of collapse for several years. The Guardian reports that Burnham is considering plans that could cut household energy bills by £130 a year and make heat pumps cheaper than gas boilers, at a cost of £3.2bn a year to taxpayers. On North Sea drilling, the report says Burnham’s team has not publicly confirmed details, but tieback arrangements could allow new drilling without technically breaching Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledge not to issue new exploration licences. The article also notes Burnham supported Shabana Mahmood’s immigration changes, is expected to scrap digital ID plans, and has asked officials to draw up plans to abolish the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology while appointing a minister for AI.
What’s reported
Burnham pledged to take more public control of utilities such as water, likely beginning with Thames Water.
Thames Water serves 16 million customers and has been on the brink of collapse for several years.
Proposed changes to household gas charging could cut energy bills by £130 a year at a cost of £3.2bn a year to taxpayers.
Burnham’s North Sea policies are not publicly confirmed; tieback arrangements could allow new drilling without breaching the 2024 manifesto.
Burnham supported Shabana Mahmood’s immigration changes and voted for asylum legislation that divided Labour MPs.
Burnham is expected to scrap Keir Starmer’s digital ID plans, redirecting resources to cost of living.
A petition opposing digital ID cards attracted about 3 million signatures.
Burnham’s team asked officials to draw up plans to abolish the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
A new cabinet is expected to include a minister for artificial intelligence for the first time.
Burnham vowed to “grasp the nettle” of adult social care reform and has talked about replacing inheritance tax with a progressive “care levy.”
Burnham wants the “biggest council house building programme since the postwar period,” linking the loss of almost 1.5 million council homes since the 1980s to similar numbers on waiting lists.
Open questions
Whether Burnham’s North Sea policies will involve new exploration licences or only tieback arrangements.
Specific details of the proposed social care levy and how it would replace inheritance tax.
The timeline for scrapping the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Key figures
Andy Burnham, incoming prime minister
Shabana Mahmood, immigration changes author
Keir Starmer, former prime minister
Jonathan Reynolds, chief whip expected to lead a more powerful business department
Sources: The Guardian
