Andy Burnham: ‘Broken’ Westminster needs ‘radical change’

Andy Burnham has pledged to push forward “radical change” in his first major speech since returning to Westminster.

He pledged to deliver more local devolution, including to cities and towns in Scotland which he said felt “just as distant from Holyrood” as English towns felt from Westminster.

The former Manchester mayor was re-elected as the MP for Makerfield earlier this month after nearly a decade away from the UK Parliament.

He is expected to be prime minister this time next month, after Keir Starmer resigned shortly after the Makerfield by-election.

Setting out his stall, Burnham told an audience in Manchester that “Westminster hasn’t been working for people” and this was “dangerous and destructive” to public trust.

He added: “We cannot go through another decade like the one we have just had. We need a new determination to raise living standards of every single person in this land, and we must accept that to do that, to fix the economy and the country, we need to change politics and we need to do it now.”

He said Westminster and Whitehall needed “radical change”, with a more collaborative politics and moving power out of the centre.

Dubbing the new agenda “Manchester-ism”, he said he would build an “inclusive team” if he enters Number 10 next month. Creating unity in parliament, he said, would ensure there was a clearer direction for Whitehall.

He said further devolution would deliver a “new era of possibility for Britain” based on “sound public finances” and “discipline of current fiscal rules”.

He added: “The change will be the biggest change in our lifetimes to the way the country is run, and it is consistent with the 2024 manifesto. We will create a more streamlined state with a clearer purpose, to power up all parts of the country and put a laser-like focus on growth and regeneration, good growth.

“The change will be driven through the prime minister’s office, in an extended operation based here in Manchester.”

This new “Number 10 North” office will be the “nerve centre of a rewired Britain”, which will drive forward devolution including in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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

Burham said he was on a 10-year mission to raising living standards, which will include reform of “essential utilities” and “reindustrialisation” of parts of the country.

Concluding his speech, he promised “good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart”.

The SNP has accused Burnham of “making the same empty promises” as others. 

Westminster leader Dave Doogan said: “The SNP has been calling for meaningful devolution for years but there is nothing of substance for Scotland in these proposals - and nothing that will fundamentally improve people's lives.

“It's telling that Andy Burnham is setting out Westminster's top-down, England-centric plans without even involving the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the conversation - and he seems to think Manchester is the north of the UK, when it’s barely the north of England.”

The nomination period for the Labour leadership resignation starts on 9 July and closes on 16 July. If Burnham is the only candidate, a special conference will be held on 17 July naming him as the new leader – and therefore prime minister.

MPs thought to have leadership ambitions have backed Burham, clearing the way for a smooth transition rather than an election contest.

However, if another MP does secure the backing to run, voting will take place throughout August with the winner to be announced on 29 August.