Andy Burnham’s speech at the Labour Party Conference was a remarkable ‘schmaltz-fest’, long on emotion, nostalgia, hope and rather shorter on the awkward, but very necessary, business of explaining how Britain is going to grow and protect itself.
Labour Conference ‘Love-In’
The sycophants loved it, but then again, this was a Labour Conference ‘Love-In’, after all. The question must be asked, “Was this a speech of an ambitious Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, or in fact, one by the former mayor of Greater Manchester who has recently wandered into Number 10 and succeeded above his station?”
Burnham seemed determined to resurrect the emotional overtures of the failed ‘old Labour’ model; a larger State, greater public ownership, more Intervention and Devolution, whilst extolling the reassuring belief that government can somehow engineer prosperity.
Hope x 12
He repeated the word ‘Hope’ no less than twelve times during his hour-long rendition but someone please, needs to remind him that you cannot simply pray for growth, you need to create the ‘ecosystem’ in which it flourishes.
Blissfully absent was the strategy for raising productivity, for attracting International Investment, for making Britain competitive with America, China, India and the Trans-Pacific nations (amongst others). Where was the ambition for Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Manufacturing and Exports?
Instead, we were offered more government, more Devolution and more ‘Hope’.
And after this, he raised the perennial ‘spectre’ of Brexit… Oh Dear!
Burnham wanted to blame this ‘old chestnut’ for much of Britain’s economic stagnation and isolation. Whilst this may resonate well in parts of Metropolitan Labour, it is de facto a volte-face of an extraordinary political strategy, when compared to his rhetoric at the time in the newly won Constituency of Makerfield, whose electorate, inconveniently, voted 64%, to ‘leave.’
Does he really imagine that those ‘duped voters’ want their new Minister of Parliament (MP) explaining to them why the democratic decision they made was responsible for everything that subsequently is wrong with the UK economy?
Answers on a postcard…
Showing leadership
Far be it for me to give him advice (old habits die hard, though); however, the following would have been far more relevant, pragmatic and, if I may so, Prime Ministerial.
“Brexit was not my decision, but that of the Great British Electorate. Nevertheless, I intend to make it work and use the tools that I have, rather than complain about the ones I would have preferred.”
That is what we call leadership.
Sovereignty is a great advantage
On the contrary, for instance, Brexit could give the government the ability to use its newfound sovereignty to its great advantage, particularly over immigration policy. Having said this, there is nothing wrong with working more co-operatively with our European neighbours; indeed, there is every reason to do so on trade, security, defence and science. But co-operation, may I say, is not the same thing as deriding the decision in the first place.
There is little point constantly looking over our shoulder at Brussels, wishing we could ‘turn back the clock.’ The onerous terms of any possible re-entry to the European Union (EU), when laid out to the electorate, would ensure an even greater majority were there to be another unfortunate referendum. Brexit is the equivalent of ‘breaking out of prison’, but then again, it is up to the former inmate to plan the future ahead, it doesn’t happen by natural gravitation.
And, in any event, the EU with its low growth, low productivity, and high unemployment is hardly a parable of economic virtue, particularly compared with other more dynamic countries of the world.
Heathrow is not simply a London airport
And then there is the Heathrow issue. At a time when Britain desperately needs to be outward looking and connected to international business, delaying the expansion of the seventh busiest international gateway of the world, is hardly a ringing endorsement of the UK’s intention to be a meaningful global player.
Heathrow is not simply another London airport; it is part of Britain’s vital economic infrastructure and our main arterial connection to global commerce.
Whilst Dubai is planning five runways; Shanghai and Deli, four; Heathrow, by way of an example, is 98% capacity and for more than thirty years is still deliberating its third runway, and unbelievably enough, we still ‘haven’t fired the starting gun’ yet. This is unforgivable!
And what about the lowly, insignificant matter of our own Defence? Whilst Burnham fleetingly mentioned NATO, Ukraine, Russia and Iran, there was no reference to increasing the very necessary Defence budget, despite having his newly appointed Chancellor, John Healey, close at hand, who famously resigned from his former role in the previous Starmer administration, on this very subject.
May I remind the PM that without National Security, there is no Social Security.
Too hot to handle
As for the bloated Welfare overspend, not a whisper, as this was ‘one potato too hot to handle’ when you are trying to ‘curry favour’ with the audience and your preoccupation is for another standing ovation (forgive the culinary metaphors).
Whilst the amendment to the Pension Triple Lock would undoubtedly receive cross-party support, it is risible that any savings from this, would make a dent on his ambitious new ‘NHS 2’ ‘Social Care’ aspirations, which he has in mind.
Parochial Crowd Pleaser
The incorrigible, ‘Parochial Crowd Pleaser’, clearly wanted to win the applause in Liverpool, rather than make any reference to the Country wanting to compete with the relentless expansion of American and Chinese technological advances.
Although Andy Burnham was an apprentice in the New Labour government from 2005-2010, he seems to have learnt nothing from the ‘Master of Electoral Ingenuity’, Sir Tony Blair, with his unprecedented, three consecutive electoral wins by capturing the centre ground of the political spectrum (in common with President Bill Clinton) at the time.
Lurching towards the Left and talking nostalgically about the 70s (when the UK was the ‘sick man’ in Europe) whilst at the same time rubbishing Thatcher’s legacy, is surely not the way to build a wider, sustainable, electoral following.
Someone needs to remind him that he is a ‘coronation’ Prime Minister and therefore, hasn’t earned his ‘electoral spurs’ for high office.
The Prime Minister needs to reach out to the widest electorate constituency, instead of being obsessed with the ‘left-wing zealots’ of the Labour Party faithful.
He may be enjoying, momentarily, a ‘Burnham Bounce’ but this could be a short-lived honeymoon period.
“You win from the centre; you win when you appeal to a broad cross-section of the public.” Tony Blair 2003.
Trevor Abrahmsohn is head of Glentree International.
