Andy Burnham will pledge to deliver “good growth in every postcode” by transferring power out of Whitehall to local communities, in his first major policy speech since launching his bid to become prime minister. Speaking in Manchester on Monday, the Makerfield MP is expected to announce plans for a “No 10 North” tasked with driving growth “across every nation and region of the UK”. He will set out a “10-year mission” to raise living standards through reindustrialisation, housing, infrastructure and utility reform, arguing the government must “give Britain the circuit-breaker it needs”.
Burnham, who is on course to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister on 20 July if no other Labour MP stands against him, will argue that decision-making must be “pushed to regions and local communities”. The former Greater Manchester mayor has long championed devolution; his office said the focus would be not just on who governs Britain, but on changing how it is governed. He will frame the plans as the “biggest transfer of power out of Whitehall in modern times”, with the No 10 North reportedly to be based in Manchester to coordinate economic policy.
“Andy Burnham will pledge 'good growth in every postcode' in his first major devolution speech since launching his PM bid.”
His speech comes amid pressure from opposition parties and within Labour to set out his cabinet appointments and policy direction. Burnham has signalled he will stick to the fiscal rules set by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, which require day-to-day costs to be covered by tax income and debt falling as a share of national income by 2029-30. However, some left-wing Labour MPs have urged him to relax those rules to allow more spending. Reeves, speaking at a conference on 25 June, backed Burnham’s approach to “fiscal devolution” but warned him to stick to her economic strategy, saying it was “beginning to bear fruit”.
Speculation over Burnham’s cabinet continues. Ed Miliband is thought to be the frontrunner to replace Reeves as chancellor, though other names such as David Miliband, Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood are also reported to be in the frame. Lucy Powell, Labour’s deputy leader and a close Burnham ally, fuelled speculation on Sunday when she suggested Miliband would be “good” at running the Treasury, though she called such conjecture “distracting”.
On defence, Burnham faces calls from former Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin to commit to increasing defence investment to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. The government is due to publish its defence investment plan before a new prime minister succeeds Starmer. Burnham, who won the Makerfield byelection last week, will conclude his speech by promising to “lift Britain back up to where it should be” and provide the circuit-breaker the country needs.