More continuity than change in Andy Burnham's prime ministership: analyst | ABC NEWS

[00:00:00]I spoke a little earlier with BBC World Service political correspondent Rob Watson for his thoughts on the Prime Minister's first address.

[00:00:08]>> I guess what it made me think of, Gemma, was all the six predecessors who I'd seen give incredibly similar speeches promising hope, change, optimism, renewal, restoring trust with the people. Well, I I don't mean to sound cynical by saying that, but I I went back on some of the speeches that I'd heard in Downing Street over the last 10 years and that extraordinary turnover of pro promise of prime ministers and absolutely I was struck by, you know, the similarities that hope that you have when you first enter Downing Street and then of course a realization of how it has ended for his six predecessors.

[00:00:46]>> Yeah, I guess you know he would have to be acutely aware of that. Is that why you think this cost of living relief that he's going to be announcing it's it's going to be coming soon?

[00:00:55]>> Absolutely. It's going to be coming in the next few hours, but but it's also why it it's accompanied by Yeah, it's it's on the one hand is that sort of practical thing. Don't worry in the short term. I'll do something to ease your pain. But again to try and mark himself out I suppose from the six predecessors is to is to make the most extraordinary I mean the boldest of of promises to say that we are going to have the biggest change political and economic in Britain that we've had in 40 years under Andy Burnham in a 10-year plan which is an extraordinary thing to say German I mean if you think about it we've had uh Tony Blair we've had Margaret Thatcher real political giants so yeah it's it's an interesting combination sort of short-term fixes of your pain but longerterm vision >> and new leader new cabinet appointments.

[00:01:44]What were the more notable ones? So I'd pick on just one actually and that is Ed Milliband and what's really interesting about Ed Milliband is that is what he was not picked to do and that he was not picked to do to be the chancellor the the chief finance minister and that's because I I think Andy Bernham was worried that Ed Milliband who's known as a bit of a lefty and a radical I think he was worried that the that the bond markets who lend Britain billions of pounds a year would say Chino was I don't think Britain looks like a very safe bet. We don't need it to do any more spending and borrowing and taxing.

[00:02:22]and and why I pick out on that and what's so really interesting and it's one of the many contrasts and contradictions if you like paradoxes at the heart of the Burnham project is you know on the one hand he's setting out a a kind of properly lefty left of center vision saying you know neoliberalism these last 40 years it's gone wrong privatization deregulation globalization focus on the individual and markets we need to turn all that over but on the other and what's his most significant appointment doing? It sort of counters that. It's saying, "Right, I'm not going to put someone in there who might frighten the bond market." So, I I find that, you know, it's one of the many fascinating sort of contradictions and tensions we've come across today.

[00:03:07]>> Now, in terms of international relationships, we know there's been a phone call to Donald Trump, also Vladimir Zalinski, and uh also there's been congratulations from our prime minister here in Australia. We had a hint there from Andy Bernham that you know the Orcus pact will all go ahead as planned. You know how do you think he will hold himself in those relationships on the international stage?

[00:03:28]>> So I think the biggest thing to say Gemma is that sexy as it might be to say it that the that you know the watch word in foreign policy is going to be continuity. There's going to be much more continuity than there is change.

[00:03:40]And that's not really surprising. I mean Britain's foreign policy is determined by its interests, its geography, its history. So you know absolutely Burnham is going to prioritize helping Ukraine, good relations with the European Union, although not rejoining GMA. Um he's going to stress the importance of of international community, international relations, international multilateral bodies like the UN. And of course he will want to maintain Britain's close relations with the US and countries like Australia. So much more continuity and and again really interesting about the Ed Milliband appointments. I think one of the reasons why he's appointed someone so senior and so so practiced and experienced as Milliban is so as he doesn't have to worry about foreign policy so as he can concentrate much more on domestic policy and and cost of living issues because he thinks that's what's really done for his six predecessors now every prime minister says that Gemma that they want to focus on domestic issues and it never turns out that way but I think that's genuinely the plan >> and finally Sakia Star Did he hold himself with his effective goodbye there? What's next for him? And I guess how do you think history will judge him as a prime minister?

[00:04:56]>> It's it's a very good question. I was there and watching closely. It's it's extraordinary, isn't it, Gemma? The way all of these British politicians, maybe it's the same with Australian politicians. The moment when they seem most dignified and most authentic and genuine is that moment where everything is draining away from them. So that was very much Kiss Darma today. He was with his wife. I was there just outside Downing Street. They were saying goodbye to all their staff and he said he was leaving with a smile and with his head up held up high. But I guess to to answer your question, I think history will judge him in two ways. One that that he'd squandered this ex extraordinary majority that he got in election two years ago that he lost the support of his party and of the country.

[00:05:39]But I I suspect history will also say he may not have been a very adept politician. Uh but that he was fundamentally a man of of some decency and integrity. And and let's see, Gemma, ask me in a couple of years time whether whether Labour MPs uh will either regret or feel glad that they carried out this coup against Kier Dharma.