'Messiah' without a mandate Burnham lurches even further left hours after coronation: Ally opens door to tax rises to fund defence spending warning he will 'take the fight to the system' as PM-in-waiting blasts Israel

Andy Burnham and his allies set out a vision of Britain moving even further to the Left under his premiership today, hours after he was effectively anointed Labour leader without a fight. The former Manchester mayor last night won the backing of 322 Labour MPs to replace Sir Keir Starmer, in practice meaning no challenger can now get enough support to oppose him. And this morning one of his closest allies in the Cabinet signalled he could put up taxes or increase public borrowing to fund an increase in defence spending.