Andy Burnham has set out an ambitious plan for national devolution, championed as 'Manchesterism', which promises to radically rebalance power across the United Kingdom. Speaking in Manchester, a city at the heart of his own revival as Mayor, Mr Burnham sketched out a vision that sees significant decision-making authority transferred from Westminster to locally elected leaders.
A key component of this blueprint is the creation of 'Number 10 North', a prime ministerial office based in Manchester. This new outpost would oversee what the Labour leadership contender has dubbed the largest council housebuilding programme since the post-war period, raising questions about the future role of existing departments like the Ministry of Housing and potentially even broader reorganisation within Whitehall.
Mr Burnham's emphasis on empowering local leaders extends beyond England's devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. He has pledged to grant these regions 'new powers', a move he claims will be the 'biggest rebalancing of power' in UK history, though details remain scarce.
While billed as an economic address, Mr Burnham's message centred on shifting power dynamics rather than solely economic policy. He attacked what he termed the 'broken' Westminster system, criticising its culture of finger-pointing and advocating for a more collaborative politics to rebuild trust. This, according to Mr Burnham, necessitates greater localisation of decision-making authority.
In an effort to address concerns about his perceived northern bias, Mr Burnham praised regional diversity and pledged support for rural and coastal areas. He also acknowledged London's status as the world's greatest capital city, a gesture intended perhaps to reassure Labour MPs representing constituencies in the South East who have expressed some unease over his strong association with the North West.