Andy Burnham pledges 'No. 10 North' and massive devolution in UK PM pitch

Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester Mayor and newly elected Member of Parliament, has outlined his economic vision for the United Kingdom, with a strong emphasis on devolving power from London to the regions. Speaking in Manchester on Monday, Burnham, who is widely expected to become the next Prime Minister after Labour leader Keir Starmer steps down, proposed the creation of a 'No. 10 North' — a satellite office of the Prime Minister in Manchester — to oversee and drive decentralisation.

Burnham, who returned to Parliament a week ago after winning a byelection, said he would 'build the broadest possible coalition of people to lift Britain back up.' He described the current system as overly centralised, stating, 'Britain is one of the most centralised countries in the world.' He promised the 'biggest rebalancing' the nation has ever seen, with bottom-up regional planning to attract investment.

Key elements of his plan include a 10-year strategy to raise living standards, greater emphasis on skills training as an alternative to university, enhanced public control of utilities, and the largest public house-building programme since the post-war era. Burnham criticised existing housing assistance schemes, alleging that funds intended for public housing are flowing to private landlords.

On fiscal policy, Burnham reiterated that he would respect the current government's 'fiscal rules' — self-imposed spending limits — but indicated he may seek to relax them in the future. 'Whilst not taking risks with the public finances, will seek to give Britain some breathing space as soon as I can,' he said. His previous remarks on loosening fiscal rules had caused a rise in borrowing costs.

Burnham is, for now, running uncontested to replace Starmer as Labour leader and Prime Minister. A formal transition could occur by July 17 if no other candidate enters the race. He has not yet provided detailed funding plans for his proposals.