Andy Burnham urges Labour to ‘re-arm’ for Kemi Badenoch comeback

No 10 sources say PM wants party to refocus on Tories as electoral threat after prioritising Reform and Greens

Andy Burnham has instructed the Labour party to “re-arm” to fight the Conservatives at the next election amid concern inside government that they must take the prospect of a Kemi Badenoch-led recovery seriously.

Downing Street sources said the prime minister wanted Labour headquarters to refocus on the Tories as an electoral threat after more than two years of prioritising Nigel Farage’s Reform and, on their left flank, the Greens.