Burnham too influenced by ‘vested interests’ to offer change, Polanski says

Zack Polanski said the reported decision to appoint Shabana Mahmood as chancellor showed Burnham was ‘subservient to the City of London’. Photograph: Rich McCarthy/PA View image in fullscreen Zack Polanski said the reported decision to appoint Shabana Mahmood as chancellor showed Burnham was ‘subservient to the City of London’. Photograph: Rich McCarthy/PA Burnham too influenced by ‘vested interests’ to offer change, Polanski says Exclusive: Green party launches pushback against idea that next PM will have more left-leaning agenda than Starmer UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham is “too in hock to vested interests” to offer real change, Zack Polanski has said as the Greens launched a pushback against the incoming prime minister, portraying him as cautious and weak on such areas as wealth taxes, Gaza and rent controls. Under Polanski’s leadership the Green party in England and Wales has more than tripled its membership , and is closely tracking Labour in opinion polls, with much of the new support coming from former Labour voters disenchanted with Keir Starmer’s approach. The Greens are planning a media blitz, before Burnham replaces Starmer in Downing Street on Monday, aimed at countering the idea that Burnham will offer a notably more left-leaning agenda, arguing he has gone quiet on several policies he previously supported. How green is Andy Burnham? Britain’s next PM faces tough climate decisions Read more In a social media post on Thursday , Polanski said the reported decision by Burnham to install Shabana Mahmood rather than Ed Miliband as chancellor showed he was “subservient to the City of London” and not up to the task of delivering change. A Green plan, seen by the Guardian, to highlight what they see as weaknesses for Burnham focuses on a series of policy areas in which, as they portray it, “semi-skimmed Andy” offers only verbal support for policies, while the Greens propose “full-fat” implementation, which they say is backed by polling data. These areas include rent controls. As Greater Manchester mayor, Burnham supported the idea, but has not committed to anything in No 10, whereas the Greens are pushing to impose them. On a wealth tax, the Green document says Burnham seems likely to “fudge the issue” by changing capital gains tax thresholds, by comparison with their proposals for a separate wealth tax, an idea the party says is backed by 81% of 2024 Labour voters. Burnham, in one of his few policy interventions since returning to parliament last month, apologised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s military action in Gaza under Starmer. The Greens plan to contrast this with their policies, which include a ban on all UK arms exports to Israel, and wider sanctions. Other areas to be highlighted include the nationalisation of the water industry – Burnham has talked instead of “public control” – and a proportional voting system, with the new PM ruling out any change until after the next general election. The Greens also