Burnham's ‘Hot Air’ Speech — and Starmer leaves Andy Burnham with a disastrous defence budget

Andy Burnham finally stepped into the spotlight with his long-awaited leadership pitch — but behind the buzzwords and feel-good slogans, political writer Brendan O'Neill says there was precious little substance. No plan for immigration, no mention of defence, no serious reckoning with net zero, and rumours that Ed Miliband could become Chancellor. Is this really the man who wants to lead Britain?Meanwhile, Keir Starmer's defence investment plan has landed after his Defence secretary resigned over its shortfalls — and it's drawing fire again. Lord Alan West, former First Sea Lord, says the money is back-loaded, the short-term gaps are dangerous, and Britain's military readiness is in a dire state. Not a single nuclear attack submarine has been operational for years. Deploying one destroyer to Cyprus took two weeks. Starmer had the political capital and the parliamentary majority to fix it — and he failed.From devolution delusions to drone warfare, procurement failures to the crippling cost of the nuclear deterrent — this is a frank, forensic look at where British politics and national security are heading.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.