Badenoch opens first speech against Burnham with "nice guy" concession, abandoning earlier mockery

Kemi Badenoch opened her first speech as Opposition leader on 23 July 2026 by telling a central London audience: "So, Andy Burnham seems like a nice guy." The line abandons her previous jibes branding the new prime minister a "people pleaser" with "airy fairy" policies. A senior Conservative said Badenoch must adapt because Burnham is "much more likable" than Keir Starmer.