100 days of Burnham – eight crucial areas where the PM MUST up his game to deliver for Britain

2 comments 2 Next ANDY BURNHAM entered No10 in July promising to unleash a huge political earthquake. But, 100 days in, what has our TikTok-loving Prime Minister actually achieved on behalf of a hard-pressed British public? 7 Andy Burnham entered No10 in July promising to unleash a huge political earthquake Credit: Alamy 7 Once Starmer’s Defence Sec, Chancellor John Healey has so far failed to present a plan for defence spending to hit three per cent of GDP by 2030 Credit: AFP Advertisement Chief Political Correspondent Martina Bet takes a look.

COST OF LIVING ON the steps of No10, Burnham promised to make everyday life cheap­er, and give the public “breathing space”. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. He made a quick start, capping bus fares at £2 from January 2027. He’s also made a few consumer tweaks on parking fines and subcription traps.

Read More on Politics THE SUN SAYS Healey's Budget MUST back business and reverse Starmer’s tsunami of tax rises BUDGET BLAST Healey will do more damage at his first Budget than Rachel Reeves, fears Kemi But his “everyday fixes” barely touch the sides for families grappling with soaring prices at the checkout. Annual inflation climbed from 3.1 per cent in August to 3.5 per cent September. And the war in Iran delivered another nasty blow to motorists, sending the average price of petrol to 169.5p a litre and diesel to a painful 192.5p.

DEFENCE 7 We MUST invest in our defence Credit: PA Advertisement JOHN Healey quit as Sir Keir Starmer’s Defence Secretary in June because the Treasury wouldn’t stump up enough cash for Britain’s Armed Forces. Most read in The Sun ROAD HORROR Dad-of-four left 'brain dead' after being shot trying to break up road rage row RIG TERROR Moment huge oil drilling rig sinks into ocean with 115 on board simple steps Why the Government is advising Brits to stock up on food and what to stockpile Four months later, as Chancellor, he holds the purse strings.

But Healey has so far failed to present a plan for defence spending to hit three per cent of GDP by 2030 – which would cost up to £17.3billion more per year. The Chancellor plans to borrow billions to invest in British defence firms – but expect howls of protest if the Budget does not deliver big time, given we are being told to prepare for war with Russia within 1,000 days. ENERGY 7 The PM should stop the social media posts and help Brits with their soaring bills Credit: TikTok Advertisement BURNHAM made scrapping VAT on electricity one of his first measures to ease household bills .

The tax cut – which is only possible because of the Brexit he so dislikes – saves a typical household around £45 a year, or 86p a week. But it has been wiped out by the Ofgem price cap rising to £1,723 in October. Industry forecasts suggest it could jump to £2,150 in January, and carry on climbing. That’s another £400-plus on a typical annual bill. More help could come in tomorrow’s Budget – but it is likely to be limited to the least well-off, or those on benefits .

Advertisement DEBT 7 National devt is spiralling out of control, but here is Burnham on TikTok with a barm Credit: TikTok THE national debt has now smashed through the £3trillion barrier for the first time, while the Government borrowed another £24.5billion in September alone. And here’s the really painful part: debt interest cost the Treasury £10.9billion in that single month. That’s more than £350million a day just to service money owed, before paying for a single new hospital, school or police officer.

The debt mountain did not appear during Burnham’s first 100 days – but it is £6billion higher than the Budget watchdog expected. Advertisement And there’s no sign of any kind of plan from Burnham to get a grip. IMMIGRATION 7 Small boats continue to cross the channel Credit: AP THE number of small boats may be down on last year – but they are ­getting bigger, with a mega dinghy carrying 230 arriving in August. The shambolic “one in one out” deal also collapsed.

On legal immigration, Burnham has sailed into choppy waters with his own MPs. Advertisement Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood wants some migrants to wait up to 15 years, rather than five, before gaining permanent settlement, to save the taxpayer billions of pounds. The proposals have sparked a Labour civil war, with Cabinet ministers publicly breaking ranks to voice their opposition. Burnham is now likely to water down the reforms. BREXIT JUST when Britain thought it had finally escaped the endless ­arguments about Brexit , along came our PM without-a-mandate with other ideas.

In a series of interventions, he’s suggested reinstating freedom of movement and even re-joining the EU. Advertisement No one knows what he’s really thinking – including the PM himself, given No10 spent yesterday having to clarify his various remarks made over the weekend. Nevertheless, it’s brought much joy to Remainers and the EU itself – which is salivating at the prospect of driving the hardest possible bargain, and getting its hands on our money again.

WELFARE BRITAIN’S benefits bill is ballooning , with health and disability payments alone forecast to cost £90.4billion this financial year. Burnham inherited two reviews: Sir Stephen Timms’s examination of disability benefits and Alan Milburn’s inquiry into nearly a million young people neither earning nor learning. Milburn’s final report, expected before the Budget, has now slipped until November at the earliest – prompting Kemi Badenoch to accuse the PM of kicking the problem into the long grass.

Advertisement Famously, he said he would not put national security ahead of social security – which will be music to Russian president Vladimir Putin’s ears. TIKTOK 7 Burnham on Gogglebox alongside Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram Credit: Crown Copyright IF Burnham has settled comfortably anywhere, it’s in front of the cameras. Between social media clips and a charity appearance on Gogglebox alongside Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram, the PM has embraced the limelight.

Want to know the Labour leader’s favourite bar snack? No problem. Advertisement RECOMMENDED STORIES Prefer to know how he’s going to fix the huge challenges facing the over-taxed, low-growth, highly-indebted, welfare-addicted United ­Kingdom? We’re still waiting for the ­TikTok clip about that one . . . 2 comments 2