Angela Rayner launches pitch to lead Burnham’s devolution revolution

Angela Rayner launched Andy Burnham’s bid to lead the devolution revolution, arguing that “we need to change politics” and “give control back to the people so we can fix the economy”.

In his first major speech since Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation, the former Labor deputy leader, who is expected to return to government when Andy Burnham takes over as prime minister, argued that “too many decisions affecting the majority are being made by too few people” and accused the “Whitehall empires” of “hoarding their own power”.

Just two days after Mr Burnham laid out his vision of a decade-long plan to transform Britain, backing a “devolution revolution”, Ms Rayner warned the government against “tinkering around the edges of the system”, saying past governments had “too often been afraid” of major structural changes in the state.

Speaking to the New Economics Foundation, he said “the economy doesn’t work for ordinary people because we’ve been on the wrong track for too long” and said: “The answer is devolution: real devolution, not the begging culture of the past, where regional politicians came to Whitehall with their caps on and asked for permission to run their own bus routes.”

“Delegation means making one person actually responsible for getting things done somewhere, so that responsibility can no longer be transferred to someone else.”

Ms Rayner, who resigned from the government last year over tax matters, echoed language used by Mr Burnham earlier this week, saying: “We cannot build a new economy here without addressing one of the root causes of the failure of the old economy.

“We are one of the most centralized countries in the developed world. Too many decisions that affect the most people are made by too few people.”

Ms Rayner also spoke of her powers in spearheading the Devolution Bill, an Act passed in April that transfers powers from central government at Westminster to local authorities, regions and communities across England.

“During my time in office, there was institutional resistance to financial devolution. But we have shown that this can be overcome,” he said.

“The Revolutionary Bill gives all mayors London-style planning powers – a new framework that can be expanded and built upon… The Act is not the end, but the beginning of a break with Whitehall’s command and control culture that has held us back for too long.

He added: “The devolution revolution has been rapidly implemented. But it will only reach its full potential if central government also changes, if No 10 carries this out as a core mission, and if local government is supported as the foundation on which devolution is built.”

“This needs a much deeper cultural change across Whitehall and the scale of that challenge cannot be underestimated.”

Ms Rayner is an ally of Mr Burnham and had criticized Sir Keir for initially blocking his return to Westminster in by-elections in Gorton and Denton last year.

Although he was previously seen as a potential leadership candidate himself, he has remained firmly on the sidelines in recent weeks, sparking questions about whether he will be given a cabinet post in the new Labor government. But his latest intervention suggests he is setting his sights on a role in Mr Burnham’s radical plan for devolution.

On Monday, the Makerfield MP and future prime minister said he would lead a ten-year plan to transform Britain by transferring power from Whitehall and giving regions the ability to control basic services, transport and housing.

The future prime minister has vowed to chart a “new direction” for the UK, with 10 Downing Street outposts based in Manchester to carry out plans to restructure the British state.

The Makerfield MP, who could become prime minister on July 20 if he is the sole candidate to replace Sir Keir as Labor leader, said the Westminster system was “broken” and “as a result the country is not where it needs to be”.

“It’s stuck in a rut, and frankly we can’t go on like this,” he said. “We are one of the most over-centralized countries in the world, and what’s worse is that the over-centralized heart of the country is going in different directions, not in the same direction.”