Andy Burnham, the prime minister-in-waiting, has pledged to establish No 10 North as the 'nerve centre of a rewired Britain' to oversee a devolution of power and resources across the UK, promising the 'biggest change in our lifetimes'. In his first speech since Keir Starmer announced he was standing down, Burnham declared the Westminster system 'broken' and said a 'more of the same' approach would neither improve living standards nor restore faith in politics.
No 10 North's Three Clear Tasks
Burnham outlined three clear tasks for No 10 North: increasing public ownership of essential utilities such as water, energy, and housing; reindustrialising swathes of the country; and regenerating towns that have been left behind. This would include overseeing the biggest council housebuilding programme since the postwar period, he said, as well as ordering Whitehall to back British firms bidding for public contracts, even if this costs taxpayers more.
Immediate Cost of Living Support
However, Burnham acknowledged that 'people can't wait for ever for change', hinting at an early cost of living support package once he reaches Downing Street. 'I heard on doorsteps in Makerfield how people need a bit extra now to help with rising costs,' he said. 'I will do my very best to deliver it, and whilst not taking risks with the public finances, will seek to give Britain some breathing space as soon as I can. People need to be able to look forward to a night out or a holiday with the kids. People need hope.'
Westminster Is Broken
Speaking at the People's History Museum in Manchester, Burnham said: 'What hope can we have that it will be different this time? That is the question I would be asking if I was a voter right now. Westminster has not been working for people and it has not 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, who served in the last Labour government and sat on the opposition benches until he became mayor of Greater Manchester, said his generation of politicians had to take responsibility for not being good enough. 'Now that might matter less in a world where people's lives are getting better, but when they are not, it is dangerous and destructive of what remains of cultural trust in politics,' he said. 'We can't go through another decade like the one we just had. We need a new determination to raise living standards ... We need to change politics and we need to do it now.'
Fiscal Discipline and Broad Church
Burnham used his speech to reassure markets that he was committed to sticking to fiscal rules, after suggesting last year the UK was 'in hock' to bond markets, adding that his programme was backed by 'the discipline that comes from sound public finances'. Despite speculation over his pick as chancellor, he said he would not announce key cabinet positions until closer to power. Instead, he wanted to establish a 'broad church' from within the Labour party, after concerns the Starmer government had been too factional, and would reach out to other political parties to find 'as much common ground as we can' to help deliver his 10-year plan for change.
Whitehall Adversarialism and Education Reform
Burnham said Whitehall had long been 'too adversarial' and that different departments wasted time fighting each other. '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 the UK needed 'a complete rethink' about how to support the next generation, promising to expand technical education giving every young person a 'clear path' into a reindustrialised Britain, and rebalancing the focus on the university route.
Echoing John Lennon, Burnham asked people to imagine 'hope in every heart' as he rounded off his pitch. 'Imagine what things could be like if we succeed. Imagine what it would feel like to live in a country wired to work for ordinary people rather than against them,' he said. The new Makerfield MP, dressed in a dark T-shirt and jacket, is expected to become prime minister on 20 July, unless challenged for the Labour leadership.
