Andy Burnham to propose devolution plan in first major policy speech since launching bid for No 10 – UK politics live | Politics

Good morning. When Keir Starmer became Prime Minister he had published his missions and first steps, Labor was awash with policies, but some people still found it difficult to know what his driving motivation was, what the single big goal he wanted to achieve in politics was. Andy Burnham He will be Prime Minister for three weeks today and in his case that question is easy to answer because he published a book on the subject called Head North with Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool city region, in early 2024. They argue that the north of England is losing out because power in the UK is hoarded in the south, and building on some of the work they were able to achieve as tube mayors, they propose a major rebalancing achieved by devolving decision-making and spending away from London.

Anyone wondering what Burnham will do in Downing Street should start here. The book also includes a 10-item plan; Some elements of this plan will almost certainly be removed, but others will remain central to the Burnham project.

The “Basic Law” refers to a version of the law adopted by Germany after the reunification of West Germany and East Germany, which said that all states in the country should have “equal standards of living”.

Burnham and Rotheram concluded their book with “Epilogue to Our Descendants.” In it they said they hoped their ideas would “help build a grassroots movement that will change Westminster from the outside over the next 25 years”. They said they would like to think that by the middle of this century, “the end of our lives and the beginning of yours,” this movement “will be so big that real change will be very soon.”

At the time of writing, Labor was expected to win the 2024 general election, but most observers expected Keir Starmer to be reasonably safe for another 10 years. Burnham clearly didn’t think she would be the one to implement this agenda. Now, just over two years later, he doesn’t have to leave it to his grandchildren; He will be able to do this himself.

This is the background to Burnham’s speech in Manchester today. Like Pippa Crerar He will promise to deliver “good growth in every postcode” by overseeing a significant transfer of power from Whitehall to local communities, according to reports.

This is Burnham’s first major speech as the potential next Prime Minister. Apparently he won’t take questions from reporters because he wants the story to focus on the conversation. It may be the most important political event of the week, and of course I will cover it in detail.

Here is the agenda of the day.

Morning: Keir Starmer is hosting a roundtable with the hospitality industry in Downing Street.

10am: Kemi Badenoch giving a speech in London,

11.30: Andy Burnham gives his devolution speech in Manchester.

11.30: A lobby briefing is being held in Downing Street.

14.30: Work and Pensions Minister Pat McFadden answers questions in the House of Commons.

Afternoon: Starmer meets NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte at Downing Street.

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