Public control of water and energy at heart of Burnham agenda, sources say

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has expressed a 'serious' interest in taking control of essential public services such as water and energy if he becomes Prime Minister, a move that critics warn could cost the taxpayer billions of pounds. According to sources close to the Labour leadership contender, Burnham's vision for a post-Brexit Britain involves a significant shift towards public ownership and control of key infrastructure. This would see the government or local authorities taking a more active role in managing services such as water supply, energy generation and distribution, potentially leading to a more socialist approach to public services. While some have welcomed the idea as a way to reduce private sector profiteering and improve service quality, others have expressed concerns about the potential costs and practicalities of such a move, with some estimating that it could add tens of billions of pounds to the national debt.