Andy Burnham latest: New Labour leader plans policy blitz – including revived oil and gas drilling in North Sea

As speculation mounts over who will get which job in Andy Burnham’s cabinet, allies of Angela Rayner have played down suggestions she could be named as his health secretary.

It is understood that she is keen to push Mr Burnham’s devolution and house building agenda in her old job as communities secretary and not to land the role of dealing with the NHS.

One ally suggested to the Independent that she has not been offered a job yet, although it is widely believed she will make a come back having been forced to resign from Sir Keir Starmer’s government over her tax affairs and failure to pay stamp duty on a flat in Brighton.

Nevertheless she is not in line to be deputy prime minister which the current deputy leader Lucy Powell is now favourite to land along with a government department herself.

Talks are believed to be ongoing but Ms Powell, who won the election for deputy after Ms Rayner stepped down, is a long time ally of Mr Burnham. She is also interested in the culture or communities briefs, two things she shadowed when Labour was in Opposition.

Senior Green Party figures on Saturday urged the incoming prime minister not to break “one of Labour’s flagship manifesto commitments”.

Green MP Adrian Ramsay said: “Andy Burnham says he takes the climate and nature crises seriously, but words are no substitute for action.

“With heatwaves causing deaths, wildfires and extreme weather across the country, approving new oil and gas drilling is exactly the wrong response and will do nothing to bring down energy bills.”

The Reform UK leader is discovering that the price of stuffing his pockets with crypto millions is that his ‘man-of-the-people’ act is losing its magic, says Alan Rusbridger.

Andy Burnham has been urged to stick to Labour’s manifesto and block further drilling in the North Sea amid reports he is considering backing new oil and gas projects.

In a speech in Downing Street on Monday, he is expected to set out plans to provide “breathing space” on the cost of living and bring economic growth to every part of the UK, but details of his plans remain unclear.

Media reports have suggested that could involve approving new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, with Mr Burnham said to be “open-minded” about such a move.

But Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which Mr Burnham has promised to honour, said the party would not issue new North Sea licences, arguing they would “not take a penny off bills” or improve energy security while accelerating climate change.

Senior Green Party figures on Saturday urged the incoming prime minister not to break “one of Labour’s flagship manifesto commitments”.

Andy Burnham’s cabinet is starting to become a little clearer, with one key position – chancellor – now widely expected to be filled by Shabana Mahmood.

While the current home secretary has previously held the role of shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, she does not have an economics background, and there is a lack of certainty over her economic leanings and preferences.

It remains to be seen how her economic policies align with Mr Burnham’s own, but so far, the UK bond markets appear to have been reassured by the prospect of her taking on the role, in favour of the other rumoured option, Ed Miliband.

Karl Matchett, The Independent’s Business and Money Editor reports:

Andy Burnham could disband the department for science, innovation and technology (DSIT) as part of his new government.

As the new Labour leader is expected to be prime minister on Monday, with no concrete announcements about who will be in his cabinet, already reports are coming in about the changes he might make.

The Financial Times has reported that parts of DSIT could be moved to the business department, which is expected to be beefed up, while the rest is shifted into the department of culture, media and sport.

“It needs to be mainstreamed and there is the sense that DSIT has not been firing on all cylinders,” a senior Labour source was quoted saying in the paper.