Andy Burnham has accused former Labour Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair of failing to understand “what’s going on” in people’s lives and underestimating the impact of inequality.
Sir Tony used a 5,600 word essay, external to argue the Labour government had “no coherent plan” for the country and had introduced policies that had held back business.
He urged Labour not to move to the left and to embrace the “radical centre” instead.
But Burnham, who is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership if he wins a by-election next month, told the Observer, external Sir Tony “doesn’t mention inequality once” in his critique of where the Labour government has gone wrong.
“If you don’t get how that’s driving politics now, if you are not rooting your analysis in the fact that people are unable to live and that things that were taken for granted are no longer affordable, then you are not understanding what’s going on,” said the mayor of Greater Manchester.
Burnham is seeking to become an MP again on 18 June in the Makerfield by-election, on the outskirts of Wigan, in what is expected to be a closely-fought contest with Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon.
Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting has also said he will stand if there is a leadership contest – but Sir Keir has said he will not walk away from the top job.
