Andy Burnham, who becomes prime minister on Monday, has set out a broadly leftwing agenda while insisting he will remain "pro-business", but critics say key details of his plans remain unclear due to the absence of leadership hustings or in-depth interviews since taking over. Reports and government sources point to significant shifts across energy, utilities, immigration and technology policy, several of which mark a break from his predecessor Keir Starmer's approach and could prove contentious within Labour's own ranks.

Burnham is expected to push for greater public control of utilities, starting with troubled Thames Water, and is considering plans to cut household energy bills by £130 a year at a cost of £3.2bn to taxpayers. Speculation continues over new North Sea drilling, potentially via "tiebacks" that could sidestep Labour's manifesto pledge against new exploration licences, risking anger from backbenchers and climate campaigners. He is also set to back Shabana Mahmood's tougher asylum and immigration measures, while scrapping Starmer's digital ID card scheme and redirecting the funding towards cost-of-living support.