The PM will have to turn 'theory' of growth into a concrete planpublished at 18:04 BST

18:04 BST

Faisal Islam
Economics editor

Image source, UK Parliament

The prime minister made clear that more help would be on its way with the cost of living saying "life is too expensive and too hard for too many", as he acknowledged relatively modest moves made over summer as "a little breathing space".

He said it was important to be "blunt" about economic policies that had failed to lift growth and living standards, and that he had a "clear theory of growth" learning from what he achieved in Greater Manchester.

This he says, shows the value of more "public control". The PM will have to flesh out exactly how that translates into real and sustained growth, and how, for example, he can fund infrastructure spending and cost of living support.

Around the world there are warning lights flashing from the markets for government debt.

It isn’t just about a convincing Budget next month. He will have to turn his "theory" of growth into a convincing and concrete plan in the coming weeks.

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Labour MP Debbie Abrahams questions the prime minister about Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP asks Burnham what he believes the "appropriate action" is in relation to these "unlawful settlements".

The PM replies that he believes the government needs to "look again" at its approach and be "very clear about our values and what we believe is right".

He describes Israel's E1 West Bank settlement plan as "really quite worrying" and says "these matters are urgent and do need to be confronted", adding his government will update Parliament on this soon.

The Green Party MP for North Herefordshire, Dr Ellie Chowns, mentions that the UK has had its hottest summer on record, and asks if the PM will stick to the manifesto promise not to drill more oil and gas.

She asks specifically about the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields, and says they will create climate damage and lead to more disasters.

Burnham replies and says he is ready to work with her, and adds he carries a clear commitment to a carbon neutral future.

He says it is the wrong approach to have one or the other.

"We will have to find a way to make a transition from oil and gas to a renewable future," he says, adding that there has to be a transition process.

Reform MP Richard Tice is speaking and addresses the topic of renewables, saying the increase in energy prices is driven by a "rush towards net stupid zero".

He says it is "madness" to import gas from overseas and asks when the PM will approve licences for the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields in the North Sea.

Burnham replies, saying renewables can bring down the cost of living and urges Tice to "look into the facts" more before making such statements.

He adds that Tice's mistake is saying it must be a choice of oil and gas or renewables.

"The truth is it's going to have to be both," Burnham says.

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Questions remain over how much money the PM will commit to defencepublished at 17:25 BST

17:25 BST

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

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The Conservatives smell blood on defence spending.

While Andy Burnham has committed to fully funding the defence investment plan he inherited, he has been far more coy when it comes to committing to spending 3% of national income on defence by 2030.

He said there will be a date for 3% in next year’s spending review but has avoided saying explicitly this date for this will indeed be 2030.

To ease the pressure in his first statement as PM in Parliament, he turned to the man sitting next to him – Chancellor John Healey, who resigned as defence secretary (thus helping push Keir Starmer out of the door of Downing Street) over a failure of the last administration to commit to that target.

Andy Burnham said with some flourish he appointed "this Chancellor" because of his commitments.

It’s not clear if this is nodding and winking assent to the defence uplift, or if it is unduly raising expectations.

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Dave Doogan, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons, says he agrees with the prime minister that the UK and Westminster are not working.

He then attacks Labour's record on energy bills and asks whether Burnham can give a date on when energy bills will be £300 lower, as he says Labour has promised the public.

Burnham responds and says he can relate to Doogan's perspective on Westminster from when he used to have "frustrations" during his time as an MP, before he resigned to run as Greater Manchester Mayor.

He says when it comes to energy bills, he has acted already to bring in a cut on VAT on electricity bills and scrapping VAT on household electricity bills in October.

"I recognise it's just a start but I hope he sees it as a sign of intent," he adds.

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Middlesbrough and Thornaby East MP Andy McDonald is next to ask the prime minister a question, and starts by thanking Burnham for his tribute to the two Cleveland police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, who were killed in the A66 crash last week.

McDonald, a Labour MP, says there is a continued waste of public funds through the use of outsourcing in core public services and urges Burnham to do more on insourcing.

Burnham replies by saying he was really distressed by what he saw in his community following the tragic deaths of PC Blades and PC Clough.

He adds from his previous role as Greater Manchester Mayor, he knows about the "unfairness in police funding" and agrees they need to look at that as part of wider police reform.

The PM says Labour's manifesto commits them to the "largest wave of insourcing in a generation" and adds his government is overseeing that work.

What will the new PM do about the welfare bill?published at 17:09 BST

17:09 BST

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Under questioning, it is becoming clearer what Andy Burnham’s approach to welfare will be.

He has said before there wouldn’t be "crude" cuts. He now suggests the "Labour way" of doing that is more council homes.

His logic is that these would have lower rents than the private sector, therefore the housing benefit bill would go down.

But it takes time for new housing developments to be built, and capital investment is needed.

In a separate answer he talks about getting more young people in to work.

Detail probably won't be provided until the second report from the former cabinet minister Alan Milburn on Neets (young people not in education, employment or training) later in the year.

We're now hearing from Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey who tells Burnham he hopes he can turn things around "quickly" as people are "fed up".

It becomes harder to make ends meet, waiting lists seem to go up, more and more things seem broken, he says.

Every new PM has talked about the economy, cutting the cost of living, public services, public trust - but they have "failed because they stuck to a broken political system", he says.

He asks whether the PM will make fundamental changes to make politics work for people and "launch a national commission to change politics".

Burnham says he agrees there is "too much power in the wrong hands", going back to attacking the water industry in England and asking whether any MP can argue it is "sufficiently accountable to their constituents".

On a national commission, Burnham adds that he is interested in looking at political reform, and the voting system.

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The prime minister now turns to the new shadow cabinet appointed by Kemi Badenoch, and says that "at least half" supported the government of Liz Truss.

Burnham refers to Badenoch pointing out he had only been in the job for 43 days, and says "that means in six days this government will have outlived the Truss government".

He says Labour is "not in a position to take lectures when this country is moving in the right direction" - pointing to the economy, small boat crossings, and the cost of living.

"That is what we will continue to do to turn this country around," Burnham concludes.

Burnham continues and says illegal migrant boat crossings are significantly down and that is because of the actions his government has been taking - helped by the French.

They will continue to be "relentless" on this, he says.

On the early release of prisoners, he notes that there isn't "any moral high ground for any party in this house", adding the justice secretary will lay out a timeline for returning foreign offenders this afternoon.

He says he "hopes we can work together" across the house on the issue of indefinite sentences, and not leave them unresolved.

On growth, he says he "cut tax twice in my first week" and adds he is "committed" to bringing down the welfare bill, but in a way that is "not just about crude cuts but about providing the right support for people - especially young people".

Burnham not fazed by first Commons appearance as PMpublished at 16:53 BST

16:53 BST

Ben Wright
BBC political correspondent

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Andy Burnham doesn't seem fazed by his first appearance at the dispatch box for 16 years.

A remarkably long absence from the Commons front bench, for a man who's just become prime minister.

Many of the faces in the Chamber will be new to him.

But a lot of what he's said so far is similar to what he's been saying since taking office six weeks ago: a broken politics that needs fixing, an economy that doesn't work for many people.

This is a chance for MPs to press him on potential solutions.

Kemi Badenoch has finished speaking and now Andy Burnham is back at the dispatch box - responding to some of her questions.

He thanks Badenoch for the welcome and says he appreciates the "tone of some" of what she said, adding he wants to work across the floor with her "where we can".

Burnham says the Tory leader was right to mention Ukraine and adds Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak set the right tone on the topic.

During his visit last month, he says he wanted to send a clear message that a change of PM does not mean a change in Britain's approach.

He also admits the job of PM is different to that of mayor, but says Badenoch is wrong to say he didn't worry about national security.

Burnham reminds her that he dealt with a terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena in 2017, and the Heaton Park synagogue attack last year.

On defence, he says he appointed John Healey as chancellor because of his commitment to the armed forces, adding the government will set out a path to spending commitments later this year.

Badenoch then says the prime minister engineered it so he could have "as long a summer holiday as possible", so he should be ready with answers, she says.

The Tory leader adds she is hearing rumours that "he doesn't want to do PMQs next week", as Burnham smiles and shakes his head in response.

Badenoch says it is her job to ask serious questions, prompting cheers and laughter from Labour MPs.

"Governing is hard but the country needs him to succeed. Where it is in the national interest, I will help him," she says.

She adds if Burnham wants to be different from his predecessor he will have to "start taking this job seriously".

As well as keeping people safe, Badenoch says Burnham's "next biggest challenge" is making people "feel richer".

She says Labour has hurt the UK economy under the "weight" of new taxes.

"He says he cares about the cost of living, Labour's taxes have made that worse," says Badenoch, adding that recruitment is the worst for new graduates than it "has ever been".

She says if Burnham does not change course, he will leave office with unemployment higher than when he came in - "like ever other Labour prime minister".

Badenoch then asks if Burnham can guarantee that there will be no more tax rises in the Budget.

She then accuses the PM of "living in the past" and says he wants to take the UK back to the 1970s, adding that his ideas are about "more government control, more spending, more tax".

Badenoch strikes a different tone compared to when Starmer was PMpublished at 16:37 BST

16:37 BST

Ben Wright
BBC political correspondent

Kemi Badenoch's tone seems slightly softer than the one she deployed against Keir Starmer.

But she's asking a series of very pointed questions, from defence to the economy.

The theme? How will he really be different from the man he turfed out of office.

Image source, UK Parliament

Image source, UK Parliament

Badenoch asks the prime minister if he will provide the funding which his own chancellor John Healey said was necessary to keep British troops safe - that is 3% of GDP by the end of this decade.

• For context: Healey resigned as defence secretary from Keir Starmer's government in a row over military spending

Badenoch then turns to illegal immigration and migrant boat crossings, saying it's not just a British problem, but a growing global problem.

She asks if the government is thinking of reviving the Rwanda-style scheme to remove illegal migrants and she asks Burnham if that's the plan.

She then moves on to the recent changes to the early release scheme, and says Burnham "changed his mind".

Badenoch asks him to set out a timeline for his promise to get more foreign nationals out of British prisons.

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Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch now takes to the dispatch box, and she starts by congratulating Burnham on becoming PM.

Badenoch says she is "grateful that he has finally found time" to take questions in Parliament and says she will pose a "few very simple yet serious" questions.

She tells Burnham the job of PM is not as easy as it looks, before turning to Keir Starmer's resignation earlier this year, saying Labour MPs still haven't explained why they got rid of him.

Badenoch adds that the role of PM is a "different job" to mayor of Greater Manchester when he did not have to pick winners and losers, make difficult trade-offs or worry about national security.

Burnham now recalls when he stood outside Downing Street six weeks ago, saying at the time Britain needed a "circuit breaker" after a decade of "divisive politics".

The PM says today he is outlining "a clear, coherent and credible approach" to growth that can unlock a feeling of "possibility in every postcode".

"We can make this next decade better than the last... we can bring back hope," he says, ending his statement to big cheers from Labour MPs.

Next up is leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch.

What action will Burnham take on the water industry?published at 16:21 BST

16:21 BST

Simon Jack
Business editor

Andy Burnham has described the water industry as "a leaking monument" to decades of wrong turns starting under the Thatcher government in the 1980s.

He promised he would give customers "more ownership and control" of the industry.

Using the word "ownership" is a subtle change from his promises to date which have promised "greater public control" - but stopped short of promising public ownership.

There have been proposals floated to turn water companies into so called mutuals - owned by their customers - which have been studied by the government.

The private consortium attempting to take control of Thames Water will be hoping that doesn't mean their proposed £10 billion rescue plan will be rejected in favour of mutualisation or nationalisation - whether temporary or permanent.