Andy Burnham is told to drop the guitar as he’s warned ‘the honeymoon’s over’ ahead of huge first week in Parliament
Kemi Badenoch has warned Prime Minister Andy Burnham that "the honeymoon is over" as he faces his first major week in Parliament since taking office, with MPs returning from summer recess to a packed and potentially divisive agenda. Burnham will make his Commons debut at Prime Minister's Questions on Tuesday, his first clash with the Conservative leader, followed swiftly by an announcement on the early release of more prisoners, which risks angering his own backbenchers, alongside expected statements on sanctions against Israeli settlements and North Sea drilling.
Badenoch accused Burnham of "tinkering around the edges" and urged him to tackle tough decisions on welfare spending, defence and public finances, while a Labour MP separately told him to "leave the guitar" and focus on substance. Reports suggest a decision on the Rosebank oil field will be deferred, prompting claims from a pro-drilling Labour MP that Burnham had "bottled it". Downing Street said Burnham would frame his Commons appearance as a moment to "bring back hope", though this drew scepticism from some Labour MPs, while lingering resentment from Sir Keir Starmer loyalists sacked in July continues to simmer beneath a fragile truce.
- Burnham faces his first Commons showdown with Badenoch on Tuesday.
- Badenoch says Burnham must stop "tinkering" and make tough decisions.
- Labour remains divided after summer's mass sackings of Starmer allies.
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The Prime Minister leads the government and faces questions from MPs in the House of Commons each week. The opposition leader, currently Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, uses these sessions to challenge the government. MPs from the governing Labour Party can also disagree with decisions made by their own leaders.
The government must balance competing demands on public money, energy and foreign policy. Welfare and defence affect spending, while decisions about North Sea oil drilling and sanctions linked to Israeli settlements have economic and diplomatic consequences. Prisoner release plans can also be contentious because they involve pressure on prisons and public concerns about justice.
These debates matter because Parliament scrutinises the government and can expose divisions within parties as well as between them. A new prime minister’s early decisions can shape expectations about how they will govern.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Burnham’s first week presents immediate trade-offs, so a cautious, staged approach could help the government avoid rushed decisions on prisons, energy and public finances. Supporters may argue that restoring hope and keeping a fragile parliamentary coalition together are necessary to deliver durable change.
The case against
With major decisions on prisons, welfare, defence and energy already pressing, critics can argue that caution risks looking like evasion and leaves public concerns unanswered. Badenoch’s challenge is that Burnham should set out clear priorities and accept the political costs of difficult choices rather than rely on optimistic language.