Ex-Burnham adviser Andy Haldane warns PM is already on the 'downslope' less than three months into the job

Andy Haldane, who served as chief economist at the Bank of England and was once an adviser to Burnham, has forecast economic and political difficulties ahead, describing Burnham's conference speech last month as his 'high-water mark' and warning the trajectory is downward from here. A squeeze on living standards this winter, driven by rising fuel, food and energy costs, is likely to be made worse by higher borrowing costs, he cautioned.

Haldane also described Burnham's flagship national care service proposal as 'well-intentioned but probably unfundable' in light of the country's 'precarious' finances.

Labour insiders have reportedly acknowledged that Burnham's tendency to 'shoot from the hip' is causing concern, following missteps over Heathrow, Manchester City and Russia's role in Brexit.