Tony Blair has reportedly expressed regret that Andy Burnham did not seek his counsel regarding the Labour Party’s potential campaign to rejoin the European Union. While the former prime minister enjoys a reputation for mentoring successors, Burnham may be inclined to disregard Blair’s guidance in order to finally discard the lingering associations with New Labour.
Burnham recently recounted a clandestine 2010 encounter with Blair. At the time, Burnham was a junior member of Gordon Brown’s cabinet and feared that his leadership ambitions and his choice of adviser would be discovered by his boss. This occurred well before Burnham eventually secured the party leadership, dispelling any notion that the meeting took place during his recent electoral success.
Since then, Burnham has undergone a significant political transformation. He describes his trajectory away from Westminster and subsequent return as a journey of personal redemption that allowed him to shed the New Labour label, which had hampered his earlier leadership bids. This effort to separate himself from Blair mirrors the strategies employed by previous Labour leaders, including Brown, Ed Miliband, Jeremy Corbyn, and Keir Starmer.
Consistent with this pattern, Burnham appears intent on maintaining distance from Blair, particularly ensuring the former prime minister remains far removed from the party conference scheduled for Liverpool this week.
Does anyone actually want Blair guiding their strategy anymore? The baggage seems heavier than ever these days.
I’m surprised Blair still thinks his input is valuable given the current political climate. Bold move.
Interesting how Burnham keeps distancing himself. Is he really that afraid of the New Labour shadow?
Blair must be furious he wasn’t asked for advice. Old habits die hard, I suppose.