The former Cabinet Secretary has urged Andy Burnham to call a snap general election and be upfront with the public about the tough decisions Britain faces.
In his first major interview since leaving government, Lord Case warned that the next Prime Minister is likely to face a difficult balancing act after taking office without a direct public mandate.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Lord Case said Mr Burnham should seek a fresh mandate from voters instead of trying to govern without one.
When asked if an early election was unavoidable, he said: “I think so.”
Mr Burnham is expected to become Prime Minister by July 20 following Keir Starmer’s departure, with no Labour MP currently expected to challenge him for the leadership.
Having served six prime ministers, Lord Case said the more open Mr Burnham is about the difficult choices ahead, the harder it becomes to justify avoiding a public vote.
Mr Burnham is set to outline his economic vision in a major speech on Monday, with further devolution expected to play a central role.
His advisers have reportedly explored raising capital gains tax to help remove green levies from household energy bills, while he is also believed to support replacing council tax and stamp duty with a land value tax.
Those close to the incoming Prime Minister say he must be honest with voters about the fiscal compromises needed to deliver his agenda, including the possibility of scrapping the pensions triple lock, despite it not appearing in Labour’s 2024 manifesto.
Lord Case also criticised what he called the culture of “cakeism” in British politics.
He said: “People link cakeism with Boris Johnson. He often told people what they wanted to hear while avoiding uncomfortable truths.
“But cakeism now goes far beyond one politician — it defines much of modern politics.”
He warned that politicians too often avoid hard truths, a trend he believes has damaged trust in politics.
Lord Case also compared the situation to Gordon Brown, whose popularity declined after choosing not to call a snap election following Tony Blair’s resignation.
He suggested Mr Burnham could avoid a similar outcome by seeking public backing early and delivering meaningful change.
Lord Case was also critical of Sir Keir, describing him as “fundamentally a public servant” who entered Downing Street without a clear governing vision.
His intervention comes after a recent YouGov poll found many Britons support holding a general election following Sir Keir’s resignation.
The survey showed 48 per cent back an early election, echoing calls from Nigel Farage.
The Clacton MP called for a general election shortly after Sir Keir announced his resignation timetable on Monday.
Writing on Substack, Mr Farage said Labour would “do everything possible” to delay a general election.
He wrote: “This is how the uniparty works. The truth is they’re scared of us.
“That’s why they unite at every by-election to block us, why they tried to cancel local elections, and why they’ll delay a general election for as long as they can.”
The YouGov poll also found 35 per cent oppose an early election, while 17 per cent remain undecided
