Burnham reveals plans for “biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen”

In his first speech since announcing his leadership bid, Burnham described the United Kingdom as “one of the most over-centralised countries in the world", before announcing plans to oversee "the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen".

The former Mayor of Greater Manchester is likely to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister from September this year, following Sir Keir’s recent decision to step down.

Speaking at the People's History Museum on Monday (29 June), Burnham outlined plans for "growth in every postcode", focusing heavily on devolution.

He said Whitehall must accept that growth cannot be ordered from the top down, "instead, it can only be nurtured from the bottom up".

He added: "It comes from having the power at ground level to make a real difference from a clear shared vision that everyone can understand, and investors can back.

"It comes from running sound finances, as we have done here in Greater Manchester, which in turn gives businesses the stability and the confidence to invest, increasing their productivity and adoption of new technology.

"It comes from placing our universities at the heart of local economies, as all the mayors do, and bringing the innovation-led approach through start-ups and scale-ups.

"It comes from committing to decent infrastructure in all parts of the UK and getting national investors to back the aspirations set by regions, it comes from giving people the security of a good home and good employment.

"It comes from not leaving everything to the market, but public intervention where necessary to set higher ambitions for towns, as we did in Stockport, and kickstart the process of change. This is Manchesterism."

He called for powers for the country’s rural economies to address issues specific to them, including inadequate transport.

He also called for powers undergoing industrial transition, like Port Talbot, Scunthorpe, and Aberdeen – and powers for coastal towns to "reimagine themselves for the 21st century".

"And, yes, powers for London too, over education and housing, so that London can do more for itself and remain the world's greatest capital city," he added.

Burnham also hinted at plans for devolution in the devolved nations, stating that new opportunities for devolution would be extended to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland "by taking power deeper down".

"The people of Dundee and Bangor feel just as distant from Holyrood and the Senedd as they do from Westminster," he said.

Burnham said the changes would be driven through the Prime Minister's office, which he announced would be based in Manchester.

He said 'Number 10 North' would be the "nerve centre of a rewired Britain and it will be the conduit through which we redistribute power and resources across the UK".

The new office will be given a mission to strive for equivalent living conditions in all parts of Britain, borrowing from the German Basic Law, he said.

It will also make place-based collaboration the new operating principle for UK PLC, requiring all government departments and agencies to support strategic and local authorities with staffing and resources, Burnham added.

He added: "Let me say this very directly, the days of Whitehall fighting the devolution power into the regions and nations are over for good.

"I have had 10 years of fighting the Whitehall machine, blocking this place's progress, the progress of people here, and I am simply not prepared to accept the same for any area coming after Greater Manchester.

"The whole of Whitehall will now be required to get behind our places and work together with them to make quicker, more joined-up decisions.

"Ours will be a 10-year mission to raise living standards across the land. To do this, Number 10 North will support the regions on three clear tasks: reform of essential utilities, reindustrialisation and the regeneration of places."

Burnham meanwhile announced plans for the "biggest council house building programme since the post-war period".

He said the Government would repair the public housing stock in part by using vacant public land to reduce costs.

Business rates reforms were also announced, which will be aimed at supporting pubs and high street businesses.

The speech also included criticism for what he described as the "stark imbalance" in resources between national government and local government, which has held back growth.

On this point, he said: "Local government is threadbare and without the resources to fulfil even statutory responsibilities. This is not just bad for councils in the areas they serve, it is bad for everywhere, it is bad for London and the South East. The whole country suffers when the regions and nations are not meeting their potential."

Adam Carey

Picture Source: The Greater Manchester Combined Authority