Labour civil war as Andy Burnham goads MPs to say they’re ‘not happy’ with Starmer
Andy Burnham has stirred up Labour’s internal rebellion by saying that if he were still a Labour MP, he’d tell Keir Starmer he’s “not happy” with the government’s benefit cuts and demand changes.
The Manchester Mayor, who ran against Jeremy Corbyn for Labour leadership in 2015, told The Times: “If I was in parliament now, I would be saying ‘I’m not happy, you need to change this.’”
He criticized Labour’s recent overhaul of the benefits system, saying: “We have a disabled people’s panel in Greater Manchester who were already saying ‘the system is punishing’ before these changes. When I first entered parliament, my dad told me, ‘never vote for policies that take money from people who can’t afford to lose it.’ I’ve always remembered that.”
His comments follow 25 Labour MPs refusing to support the government’s welfare reforms. Last week, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced the “biggest shake-up to the welfare system in a generation,” aiming to cut £5bn from benefits spending. But some changes like adjustments to disability payments (PIP) and freezing part of Universal Credit have sparked strong backlash within Labour.
Labour MP Stella Creasy wrote on X: “I don’t support these welfare reforms. There’s a better way to balance fiscal responsibility and social justice.” Meanwhile, Diane Abbott said: “Voters are tired of austerity. They can’t take any more.”
Burnham added: “The government is too focused on strict budget rules—we need more flexibility. With so much instability, we should protect people from financial shocks.” He suggested a wealth tax as an alternative, saying: “Society has changed—the richest keep getting richer, even during the pandemic. It’s time to look at taxing wealth.”
