Andy Burnham accused of being ‘in hock to trade unions’ after caving in to their demands after first conference

ANDY Burnham was accused of being “in hock” to trade unions after caving in to their demands. The PM made several bungs to the unions at his first conference as Labour leader this week. It comes despite him saying that previous Governments had run the country for “vested interests”. Since 2020, Labour has received almost £43million from unions. Shadow Business Secretary Julia Lopez said: “If anyone needed proof that Labour are in hock to the unions, they need look no further. Labour know who pay their wages. “Labour simply do not get business, because too many of their frontbench have never worked in one and have spent most of their careers pushing union demands.” Read More on Politics Announcements included £15million of taxpayers’ cash to bring back the Union Learning Fund. And he announced a public ownership blitz of everything from water to housing. Avanti West Coast train services will also be nationalised from March next year. Chancellor John Healey promised a new age of industrialisation including a massive “buy British” push. Most read in The Sun Controversially, the Home Secretary paved the way for a major climbdown on her flagship immigration curbs. Shabana Mahmood signalled that tens of thousands of foreign workers would be protected from tougher settlement rules. It came after a backlash led by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and heavy union pressure. Meanwhile Labour peer Lord Richard Walker fears the Government will raid business like “a piggybank” at the October 28 Budget. He said firms are being lumbered with an “avalanche of costs” and called for an end to tax raids on them.