Badenoch congratulates Burnham but warns new UK PM faces early test

Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has congratulated Andy Burnham on becoming Britain’s next prime minister but warned that he begins his premiership without a clear plan for the country’s biggest challenges, setting the stage for an immediate political contest between the new government and the opposition.

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In a letter released on Sunday ahead of Burnham’s formal appointment on Monday, Badenoch wished the incoming Labour leader “every success” while making clear that her role as leader of the opposition would be to scrutinise every decision his government makes.

“Congratulations on your appointment as leader of the Labour Party. Later today you will take over as our Prime Minister. In the interest of our country, I wish you every success,” she wrote.

“As you know, however, it is my job as Leader of the Opposition to hold you to account, and I will never shirk from doing so.”

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Badenoch criticised Burnham for, in her view, failing to explain how he intends to tackle Britain’s pressing problems before taking office.

“You will enter office without having set out a clear plan on any of the issues facing our country. You have refused calls to come to Parliament for questions from MPs, and you have not submitted yourself to serious media scrutiny. This is not a promising start,” she said.

The Conservative leader urged Burnham to adopt what she described as “common sense policies” by cutting taxes, reducing welfare spending, strengthening border controls and lowering energy costs.

She also called on the incoming prime minister to rule out tax increases and reverse Labour’s ban on new oil and gas licences in the North Sea, arguing that greater domestic energy production would reduce costs for households and businesses.

“I welcome press reports that Burnham plans to grant licences for the Jackdaw and Rosebank gas fields in the North Sea. But he must not stop there. He should end Ed Miliband’s destructive ban on new licences altogether. Let’s get Britain drilling so we can bring down the cost of energy,” Badenoch said.

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Despite her criticism, Badenoch offered Burnham the support of the Conservatives’ 118 MPs if he chose to pursue welfare reforms, saying reducing the benefits bill was in the national interest.

“We both know that Labour backbenchers will not vote to cut benefits, so I make the same offer to you,” she wrote.

She warned Burnham not to repeat what she described as the mistakes of former prime minister Keir Starmer.

“You must not repeat the mistakes of Keir Starmer’s premiership which failed because he refused to stand up to his left wing Labour backbenchers and their endless demands for tax rises to pay for more welfare,” Badenoch said.

“Britain cannot go on like this without becoming a welfare state with a country attached.”

Badenoch added that while she would support policies she believed benefited the country, she would oppose Labour proposals for higher public spending funded by higher taxes.

“Where we support your agenda, I will say so. But I will always stand against the instincts of Labour MPs for higher taxes and more spending,” she said.

Burnham will officially become prime minister on Monday after Keir Starmer tenders his resignation to King Charles III, who will then invite Burnham to form a government.

His appointment will make him Labour’s eighth prime minister, Britain’s 59th prime minister overall and the fourth to serve during King Charles III’s reign, which began in 2022. It also means the UK will have had five prime ministers in just four years, reflecting a period of exceptional political turnover.

Although Burnham takes office without a general election, the change is constitutionally routine under the UK’s parliamentary system because the governing party retains its majority in Parliament. The next general election must be held no later than August 15, 2029, although Burnham has the power to call one earlier if he chooses.