Andy Burnham latest: Prime minister-in-waiting to pledge to be ‘unashamedly Labour’ when he becomes party leader

Zack Polanski said Andy Burnham was offering a “semi-skimmed” version of Green Party policies.

Speaking to Sky News, the Green leader said: “What I think we’re seeing now in speedrun is what does a Labour government look like with supposedly their best leader?

“And I think we’re still going to see a party where inequality gets wider, where we’ve seen them apologise for Labour’s history in Gaza, but he’s still not signalled that he’s going to stop selling arms to Israel.

“So I think again and again we’re going to hear rhetoric which is more in line with what the Green Party are saying.

“But why have semi-skimmed when you could come to the Green Party and actually have the full version, where we’re both saying and doing things?”

Andy Burnham will double down on his vow to unpick the economic settlement of Margaret Thatcher when he delivers his first speech as Labour leader on Friday.

The former mayor of Manchester will be confirmed as Sir Keir Starmer’s replacement unopposed at a special conference in London after he received nominations from almost all the MPs.

With the support of 81 MPs needed to be nominated into the race, only Catherine West received one nomination from fellow MP Neil Coyle, while all the rest bar 26 MPs supported Mr Burnham.

The new Labour leader will warn that “Britain took a series of wrong turns in the 1980s” when “political power was centralised and economic power privatised”.

To build an economy and a country that works for all people and places, Mr Burnham will say that it requires “a new path to the one we’ve been on for the last 40 years”.

The Independent’s political editor David Maddox has the full story below:

Today is the day – Andy Burnham will replace Sir Keir Starmer as leader of the Labour Party.

The former Greater Manchester mayor secured the backing of 349 Labour MPs earlier this week, meaning it is impossible for any other candidate to gain the 81 endorsements needed to challenge for the Labour leadership.

The TSSA transport union, Aslef, Community, GMB, Unison, Fire Brigades Union, Unite and shopworkers’ union Usdaw have also endorsed him.

That means that a smooth transfer of power is expected during a special Labour conference in London at around midday.

In his inaugural speech he is expected to lay out an argument for his policies, which he says will be “unashamedly Labour”.

It will be the biggest day of the Makerfield MP’s political life until Monday, when he will be sworn in as prime minister.

Andy Burnham is set to take over the Labour leadership on Friday – but will have to wait a few more days before he becomes prime minister.

Over the weekend, he will officially be Labour leader but Sir Keir Starmer will still technically lead the country.

He will then travel to Buckingham Palace on Monday and formally hand his resignation to the King, recommending Mr Burnham as his successor.

Mr Burnham will then be coronated as prime minister on Monday afternoon.

Political editor David Maddox examines whether Andy Burnham will bring back one – or both – of the Miliband brothers, or whether history could repeat itself with one losing out on a top job at the expense of the other.

Andy Burnham has said he won’t be afraid to disagree with American president Donald Trump, adding that he would try to “meet him where he’s at” while “respecting the office”.

The prime minister-in-waiting told Gary Lineker in an interview for Goalhanger: “Maybe in a similar way to the way I’ve just described, I’ll just meet him where he’s at. And, you know, I like to think I’ve got some personality myself and I’ll just, you know, I’ll deal with him very upfront in the same way. I think he likes people to deal with him.

“He described Manchester as some town when he was referring to my position. And I might have to, you know what Mancs are like, Gary, that won’t have gone down fantastically well in the city I used to represent.

“But yeah, you know, it’s about being yourself, isn’t it? It’s about respecting the office, the relationship, the UK-US relationship. But, you know, where you disagree, do it, but do it in a way that is kind of meeting him where he’s at.”

Sir Tony Blair has warned Andy Burnham over riding into No10 on a wave of popularity, saying he would have told himself “you may think you’re going to be loved, but you’re not going to be” after Labour’s 1997 landslide victory.

In a frank discussion with comedian Matt Forde at the Tony Blair Institute (TBI)’s summer drinks reception at the National Theatre in London, the former prime minister also said Mr Burnham needed to maintain a strong relationship with the US “whoever is president” because of the threat of an invasion to Europe from Russia.

And he warned Mr Burnham over continuing with energy secretary Ed Miliband’s net zero policies.

But arguably his biggest advice was “you are not going to be loved”.

You can read the full story below: