Reeves tells BBC: Burnham needs worked-through plan to govern from the start

In what is likely her last major interview as chancellor, Rachel Reeves has warned incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham that he must be properly prepared to govern. Speaking exclusively to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, Reeves stated that "it is important that when Andy walks through that door he has a worked-through plan, because governing is hard in Britain, and lots of challenges and shocks will come his way." She emphasized that Burnham and his team must be "really clear about what they want to achieve" and that he needs to stay "laser-focused" on his core motivations. Reflecting on why Sir Keir Starmer's time in office was ending, Reeves said, "People are impatient for change - I'm impatient for change and I totally get that people want to see their lives changed faster." While Reeves touted her record of returning "stability and trust" to the economy, noting lower borrowing costs and increased infrastructure investment, the article also highlights persistent economic challenges including inflation above target, slow growth, and falling disposable income. A former senior minister criticized Reeves for spending political capital on painting a grim inheritance picture, only to find herself unable to win key arguments on welfare reform when the economy failed to brighten quickly.