Boris Johnson has launched a fierce attack on Andy Burnham after he announced his bid for the Labour leadership, branding him a “Mancunian mystery”.
Speaking to GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope, the former Prime Minister said the public still has little idea of what Burnham actually stands for.
When asked if he had any advice for the newly elected Makerfield MP, Johnson said: “Yes — get things done fast. There’s no honeymoon period, whether you deserve one or not.
“And for heaven’s sake, don’t assume that just because you’ve won a strong personal mandate from the people of Makerfield or the Labour Party, the wider British public understands what you’re about.
“Being a successful metro mayor is a very different role. Now he has to lead the whole country.”
Pointing to the challenges Burnham would face if he became Prime Minister, Johnson said: “He would inherit a country with £3 trillion of debt, record-high taxes, and a welfare budget that is completely out of control.
“He also has to explain to the Labour Party that put him there that they can’t keep pushing the country further to the left.”
Johnson also criticised Burnham for lacking a clear political vision ahead of his expected move into national leadership.
He said: “What worries me is that I see no sign of a clear or coherent plan from him. Britain needs an honest conversation about public spending and national debt, and we need to start bringing that welfare bill down.
“We should be investing more in defence, cutting taxes, and using Brexit freedoms to reduce regulation — and I see no evidence of that.”
The former Tory leader went further, arguing: “He remains a complete Mancunian mystery. We still don’t know what he stands for. Right now, he’s a pig in a poke, and the public will want answers quickly.
“I also think he’ll struggle to go long without calling a general election. If he gets any kind of political bounce, he’ll need his own personal mandate from the British people.
“I’m deeply concerned he could take the country in the wrong direction.”
Asked if he would support a general election, Johnson backed Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, saying she “deserves to win”.
He told GB News: “I hope there is an election. I hope Kemi Badenoch wins and we get a change of government, because Labour is taking the country in the exact opposite direction from what Britain needs.
“The solutions Britain needs are Conservative ones, and Kemi is very good at making that case.”
Johnson also praised Badenoch’s performances against Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions.
He added: “Who’s been challenging Starmer week after week at the despatch box? It hasn’t been Reform — it’s been Kemi. She’s kept the pressure on, and I think she deserves credit for that.”
When pressed on whether the Conservatives should work with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, Johnson dismissed the idea of a merger.
He said: “In politics, you don’t win through cosmetic fixes or Frankenstein-style alliances.
“A stitched-together party of the right won’t work. What Britain needs is a one-nation Conservative victory.
“That means cutting taxes, reducing regulation, delivering results, and staying true to the spirit of Brexit.”
