ANDY BURNHAM HAS promised to set a “new direction” for the UK, with a decade-long plan that includes transferring power out of Whitehall and giving regions the ability to control essential utilities, transport and housing.

This plan would include an outpost of 10 Downing Street based in Manchester to drive his plans to rewire the British state. 

In his first major speech since Keir Starmer announced he would be leaving his post as prime minister, Burnham said that the Westminster system was “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,” he said.

The Makerfield MP, who gave up his role as mayor of Greater Manchester to return to Westminster in a byelection earlier this month, could become prime minister on 20 July if he is the only contender to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader.

What’s in the plan?

Burnham said that the No. 10 north operation would be the “nerve centre of a rewired Britain” that would redistribute power and resources across the UK.

The plan would oversee the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period and the regions would also be able to take “greater public control of essential services” including water, energy and transport.

Burnham said that the proposals would bring about the “biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen” and he promised to overcome Whitehall’s resistance to change.

“Let me say this very directly: the days of Whitehall fighting the devolution of power into the regions and nations are over for good,” he said.

In an attempt to reassure the markets that he would not hike borrowing and taxes to pay for his plans, Burnham promised his measures would be based on “the stability that comes from sound public finances” and “the discipline of our current fiscal rules”.

However, he did acknowledge that taxpayer-funded support would be needed to deal with the cost-of-living pressures facing households.

“Ours is a 10-year mission to raise people’s living standards,” he said, stating that “people can’t wait forever for change.”

He made reference to the fact that people on the doorsteps in Makerfield made it clear that they need a bit extra now to help with rising costs and he promised to do his best to deliver it. 

Under pressure

Burnham is currently under pressure to seek his own mandate at a general election.

However, he has insisted that his plans are consistent with the manifesto Labour campaigned on in 2024 despite being “the biggest change in our lifetimes to the way the country is run”.

Burnham did not take questions from the journalists at the speech in Manchester’s People’s History Museum, leading to accusations that he was dodging scrutiny of his plans.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “He needs to come to parliament, tell us what he wants to do and face some questions from MPs, the people elected to hold the Government to account.”

“Giving speeches in Manchester and not taking any questions is simply not good enough.”