The “King of the North” said the Westminster system was “broken” and “as a result, the country isn’t where it should be” as he promised to “rewire Britain” in a major speech in Manchester
Andy Burnham said Westminster is “broken” as he pledged to establish a “Number 10 North” and transfer power out of Whitehall. The PM-in-waiting vowed to set a “new direction” for the UK during his first major speech since Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation.
The “King of the North” said the Westminster system was “broken” and “as a result, the country isn’t where it should be”. And he unveiled a “10-year mission to raise living standards across the land” in a speech at the People’s History Museum in Manchester.
Here, we take a look the key takeaways of what a Burnham premiership may look like as he pledged a racial break from what has come before.
An English devolution plan for a “Number 10 in the North”
In what is possibly the most radical plan for devolution in modern history, Burnham said his plans “will be driven through the Prime Minister’s office in an extended operation” in Manchester.
He said: “Westminster hasn’t been working for people and it hasn’t been working for a very long time. In fact, it is broken and as a result, the country isn’t where it should be. It is stuck in a rut and clearly we can’t go on like this.”
Burnham added: “The job of Number 10 North will be to make power flow into the Midlands, into the South West, into the East of England and yes, into London, as I said before, as much as into the North East, Yorkshire, and the Humber, and here in the North West.”
Good growth in every British postcode
The newly-elected MP for Makerfield pledged for “growth in every British postcode” and a localisation of power, in that “rural economies” can “address issues specific to them, like inadequate transport”.
Burnham said: “We are one of the most over-centralised countries in the world, and worse, that over-centralised part of the country is not pulling in the same way, but in different directions. That is the reality of Westminster now.
“We will make politics work for you and the place where you live. I know it can be done, because we have done it here [in Greater Manchester]”.
A “10-year mission” to raise living standards
Burnham outlined plans for “a 10 year mission to raise living standards across the land,” implying that he aims to win multiple general elections and stay in power for a decade.
He said: “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.
“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.”
Repairing the public housing stock
Burnham also vowed to carry out the biggest council house building programme in the post-war period.
He said: “Britain’s housing crisis is having a ruinous impact on its public finances, so working with local areas, Number 10 North will oversee the biggest council house building programme since the post war period.
“If you don’t give people a good home, what chance have they got of having a good life?”
Complete rethink of support for young people
In attempts to tackle youth unemployment, Burnham pledged to create more 45 day work placements for young people and pledged to end “a school system configured entirely around the university route”.
He said: “We need a complete rethink of how we support the next generation to succeed. And it has to start with the education system. The days of a school system configured entirely around the university route will be brought to an end.
“University is great for those who want it, but when are we going to focus on the life chances of those kids who want something different?”
Collaboration with other parties and change in Westminster culture
Burnham said he will work to “change” the culture of Westminster politics, which feels “unhappier” than when he was MP for Leigh from 2001 until 2017. He also hinted that he would not use the whip system, the mechanism used to enforce party discipline.
He said He said: “I will reach out to other political parties to find as much common ground as we can and build that more collaborative approach I spoke about a moment ago.
“I’m not sure this Whitehall culture could ever be justified. It wasn’t justified when I was a minister almost 20 years ago, but it certainly can’t be justified now. The stark imbalance in resources between national government and local government is holding back growth.”