Tony Blair issues urgent warning to Andy Burnham and alerts him that Britain 'can't afford' to continue Net Zero

Sir Tony Blair has issued an urgent warning to Andy Burnham and argued Britain "can't afford" to continue in its pursuit of Net Zero.

The former Prime Minister, who appointed Mr Burnham as a Health Minister in 2006, suggested the Makerfield MP would struggle to find widespread support from the public.

In a direct warning to Mr Burnham, Sir Tony said: “I think you may think you're going to be loved, but you're not going to be.”

Sir Tony, who is Labour's longest-serving Prime Minister in history, also took a swipe at Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's renewable energy policy.

Mr Miliband, himself a former Labour leader, is being eyed up by Mr Burnham's nearest allies as a potential successor to Rachel Reeves as Chancellor.

However, Sir Tony was far from complimentary of Mr Miliband's continued support for Net Zero.

Speaking at the Tony Blair Institute's summer drinks reception at the National Theatre in London, the ex-Prime Minister caveated his support for renewables and clean energy by warning the rapid push to Net Zero is damaging the country.

Sir Tony, who was first elected in a landslide victory in 1997, also indirectly touched on speculation about Mr Miliband being handed the keys to No11.

Despite appointing the former Labour leader as Third Sector Minister in 2006, Sir Tony said: "We're penalising our own businesses at the moment with this, and we can't afford to do that. It's as simple as that."

However, Sir Tony was also quick to praise the incoming Prime Minister and Labour leader, adding the former Greater Manchester Mayor has a "very sure political touch".

He said: "I wish Andy well. I hope he succeeds. It's important for the country he succeeds. Actually, as a colleague, he was great as well.

"He's a genuinely people person...It's one of the things that distinguishes politicians, I think over time, when you get to know them, is that all politicians have got to pretend to be interested in people.

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"But you know, you do come across politicians that love humanity in general."

When asked what he would have said to himself in 1997 when he first entered Downing Street, Sir Tony said: "I think you may think you're going to be loved, but you're not going to be."

Sir Tony's swipe came just months after the former Prime Minister wrote a 5,600-word essay warning Labour was "playing with fire" and had no coherent plan for the country.

Mr Burnham responded by penning a 1,500-word rebuttal, which included an attack against "40 years of neoliberalism".

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