Reeves warns Burnham of shocks and challenges as new PM

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has urged Andy Burnham to arrive in Downing Street with a fully developed plan, warning that the incoming prime minister will be quickly tested by a range of shocks and challenges. Burnham is poised to become Labour leader on July 17 and prime minister on July 20, having secured the backing of 322 of the party's 403 MPs, leaving him just one short of the number required to make a rival challenge mathematically impossible.

In what is expected to be one of her final major interviews as Chancellor, Reeves emphasized the difficulty of governing. She stated it is crucial for Burnham to have a worked-through plan upon entering office, as governing is hard and many challenges will come his way. She advised him to stay laser-focused on the priorities that first motivated him to enter politics.

Burnham has begun outlining a vision centered on what he calls the biggest rebalancing of power Britain has ever seen, including establishing a new No. 10 North hub to oversee the distribution of power and resources from Whitehall. He has also hinted at an early package of cost-of-living support, acknowledging public impatience for change. Reeves echoed this sentiment,...