The best person for Chancellor would be John Healey, says Stephen Pound

Former MP Stephen Pound has said Andy Burnham should bring John Healey in as Chancellor and renationalise the utilities.

Speaking to GB News, he said: “Of course [leadership candidates make deals] and sometimes you invent a completely spurious, non-existent job, like Deputy Prime Minister or something, just to keep John Prescott out of trouble.

“But two things: firstly, Wes Streeting is very young and he’s very ambitious, and politics is a long game.

“Secondly, if you’re actually choosing someone, a clean skin, someone to come in as Chancellor of the Exchequer, to have a complete break from the past.

“Unfortunately, Ed Miliband, who is very capable in my opinion, an extremely capable economist, would not be the appropriate character.

“The obvious person is someone who was in the cabinet until very recently, who was a treasury minister for five years, and, of course, I mean John Healey.

“The biggest scandal facing this country today is the consequences of the ridiculous privatisation and the selling off of our national assets; our air, gas, water, and power.

“What Andy Burnham is talking about, is bringing those utilities back into public ownership.

“Look around you. Look at the way the high streets have been hollowed out. Look at the way that the public realm is now disappearing. People no longer have pride in the town halls.

“We’ve got to let the people and the institutions come back together again. The fact that the French and German and Australian companies look after our water, gas, and electricity is scandalous. How can people have any pride in this country when every time we turn on the tap, we’re giving money to some millionaire in France? We can’t afford not to.

“For the moment, let’s at least work out what should be on the menu, and what should be on the menu is British utilities, British gas, British power for British people, not for foreign billionaires.”