Boston Consulting Group (BCG), one of the world's largest management consultancies, is helping to shape Prime Minister Andy Burnham's ten-year plan for Britain, The Sunday Times has revealed.

The plan, described as Burnham's vision for the country, is expected to be published around Christmas. It will set out his long-term ambitions on welfare spending, economic growth, energy policy and public control of utilities such as water and buses.

The government has confirmed the firm's involvement to Politico, but says BCG is providing only one consultant, giving what it calls "specific specialist advice". No fee has been published, and the government has not said what the advice covers or how the firm was chosen.

Chief of staff's former employer

The disclosure has drawn attention because Burnham's chief of staff, James Purnell, previously worked for BCG. Purnell, a former Labour welfare secretary, was appointed the prime minister's chief of staff in July. He worked for BCG after standing down as an MP in April 2010 and before taking up roles at the BBC in 2013.

According to The Sunday Times, a senior BCG executive has been contacting Whitehall officials to ask for their views on policy questions, including how to grow the economy. BCG was also drafted in to help Greater Manchester Combined Authority with long-term planning during Burnham's time as mayor of Greater Manchester.

BCG has previously advised Whitehall on major projects, including the NHS test and trace scheme and HS2.

Criticism from the Greens

The appointment has been criticised by Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who raised the firm's record in Gaza. BCG apologised last year after the Financial Times revealed that its employees had been involved in modelling the costs of "relocating" Palestinians from Gaza. BCG has said that work was not authorised and has disavowed it.

The criticism is awkward for the government because Labour under Sir Keir Starmer pledged to reduce reliance on consultancies, promising to save £1.2 billion by 2026 by halving the number of contracts for external advisory work. The government says it cut consultancy spending by more than £600 million in 2024/25, to a five-year low.

Plan may slip into the new year

The ten-year plan itself may also be delayed. Burnham told The Economist that it "may go into the new year", with no firm landing date yet. The Telegraph reported on 5 November that the plan could slip beyond Christmas.

Burnham promised the plan on taking office at No. 10, presenting it as a comprehensive roadmap for Britain's future. It is now expected to serve as the starting point for a consultation exercise rather than a final policy document, with a pre-Christmas speech possible to meet the original promise of a plan within the calendar year.