Burnham’s ‘black box’ plans for cabinet send Westminster into hysteria
Few know who will get top jobs when new PM enters No 10 and the vacuum of information has its downsidesAs Labour MPs filed out of Portcullis House on the last day before parliament
By The Guardian
Andy Burnham is keeping his cabinet appointments secret until he moves into Number 10 on Monday, creating a vacuum of information that has sparked anxiety among Labour MPs and Westminster insiders. Few details are known about who will receive top jobs in the new administration, with Burnham’s team stating officially that no decisions have been taken yet .
Announcements on cabinet posts are not expected until Monday, when Burnham formally enters the prime minister’s residence . The lack of transparency has led some MPs to compare Burnham’s concentrated control to the North Korean Kim dynasty, describing it as a “congenial and receptive kind of dictatorship” where power is held by a tiny number of individuals [source].
Never before in British politics have so many of Labour’s senior figures had so little influence or leverage over the incoming leadership [source]. Burnham is planning a major restructuring of Downing Street, including a new executive department for the prime minister to drive policy delivery across Whitehall, drawn up by chief of staff James Purnell .
He intends to give each minister, including the chancellor, clear written instructions setting out his personal priorities and targets for their department . While allies say Burnham accepts the existing defence investment plan and most of Shabana Mahmood’s immigration overhaul, many of his broader policy details remain obscure even to close supporters .
Cabinet picks are expected to reflect a “broad church” of ideas and MPs’ commitment to the Labour movement, according to people familiar with the matter .