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  "path": "/politics/andy-burnham-snap-general-election-ex-cabinet-secretary-pm",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-27T04:44:18.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Andy Burnham's immigration U-turn to 'cost British families £1.8k each'",
    "Andy Burnham criticised for 'performative' stance on Keir Starmer's Defence Investment Plan",
    "'Doesn't know what a woman is!' Andy Burnham blasted after being hailed as 'Labour's first female PM'",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nThe former Cabinet Secretary has urged Andy Burnham to call a snap general election and \"be honest with the public\" about the difficult choices facing Britain.\n\nIn his first major interview since leaving Government, Lord Case warned the expected next Prime Minister would face \"a very difficult tightrope\" after entering Downing Street without being elected by the public.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking to The Telegraph, Lord Case said Mr Burnham should seek a fresh mandate from voters rather than attempt to govern without one.\n\nAsked whether an early election was inevitable, he replied: \"I think so.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nMr Burnham is expected to become Prime Minister by July 20 after Sir Keir Starmer's departure, with no Labour MP expected to challenge him for the leadership.\n\nThe former Cabinet Secretary, who served six prime ministers, said the more honest Mr Burnham was about the difficult decisions ahead, the harder it would become to justify avoiding a public vote.\n\nMr Burnham is due to outline his economic vision in a major speech on Monday, with further devolution expected to feature prominently.\n\nHis advisers have reportedly examined raising capital gains tax to help remove green levies from household energy bills, while Mr Burnham is also understood to favour replacing council tax and stamp duty with a land value tax.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThose close to the incoming Prime Minister have argued he must level with voters about the fiscal trade-offs required to deliver his agenda, including the possibility of scrapping the pensions triple lock despite it not featuring in Labour's 2024 manifesto.\n\nLord Case also criticised what he described as the culture of \"cakeism\" in British politics.\n\nHe said: \"People associate the phrase 'cakeism' with Boris Johnson.\n\n\"He told people what they wanted to hear and didn't really want to unveil uncomfortable choices.\n\n### ANDY BURNHAM - READ THE LATEST:\n\n\n\n\n  * Andy Burnham's immigration U-turn to 'cost British families £1.8k each'\n  * Andy Burnham criticised for 'performative' stance on Keir Starmer's Defence Investment Plan\n  * 'Doesn't know what a woman is!' Andy Burnham blasted after being hailed as 'Labour's first female PM'\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"But I think cakeism applies much more broadly now to the political arena, so we're in the age of cakeism.\"\n\nHe warned that politicians too often avoid telling the public difficult truths, arguing the trend has helped erode trust in politics.\n\nLord Case also drew comparisons with Gordon Brown, whose popularity faded after deciding against calling a snap election following Tony Blair's resignation.\n\nHe suggested Mr Burnham could avoid a similar fate if he sought public backing early and delivered meaningful change.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe former Cabinet Secretary was also critical of Sir Keir, describing him as \"fundamentally a public servant\" who entered Downing Street without a clear vision for Government.\n\nLord Case's intervention comes after a recent YouGov poll found Britons back holding a general election following Sir Keir's resignation on Monday.\n\nThe survey found 48 per cent support an early general election, echoing calls from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.\n\nThe Clacton MP demanded a general election moments after Sir Keir announced his resignation timetable on Monday morning.\n\nIn an essay published on Substack, Mr Farage said the Labour Party would \"try their very hardest to hold off on a general election\".\n\nHe wrote: \"This is how the uniparty operates. The truth is that they are frightened of us.\n\n\"That’s why they band together at every by-election to attempt to block us from victory, why they tried to cancel the local elections and why they’ll try their very hardest to hold off on a general election for as long as possible.\"\n\nThe YouGov poll found that 35 per cent of Britons oppose a general election, while 17 per cent said they \"don't know\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "‘Be honest with the public!’ Ex-Cabinet Secretary urges Andy Burnham to call snap general election"
}