Burnham to promise devolution in first major speech since launching No 10 bid
Andy Burnham will then make a major policy speech, unveiling plans for “Number 10 North” for the first time since he launched his bid to become prime minister.
Speaking in Manchester, Burnham is expected to vow to put devolution at the heart of the government’s programme, saying the agency will be tasked with promoting growth “in every country and territory of the UK”.
He will make recommendations on youth employment, as well as committing to a “10-year mission” to raise living standards to “get Britain back to where it should be”.
Burnham is expected to become prime minister on July 20 if no other Labor MPs put forward to be leader.
He has faced calls from opposition parties to reveal his plans, confirm who he plans to appoint to his cabinet and reveal whether he will deviate from Labour’s 2024 manifesto.
In her speech on Monday, Burnham is expected to say the government should “give the UK the circuit breaker it needs” and give her view on why public confidence in politics is low.
He will say decision-making should be “pushed down to regions and local communities” and promises “good growth in every postcode”.
Burnham signaled that she would abide by the financial rules set by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who is expected to replace her if she becomes prime minister.
These rules stipulate that day-to-day government costs will be covered by tax revenue rather than borrowing, and a commitment to reduce the share of debt in national income by the end of this parliament in 2029-30.
Pressures on the government’s budget and high borrowing costs mean Burnham, or any potential prime minister, has little fiscal space to pursue policy objectives.
Speaking at a conference in London on 25 June, Reeves urged Burnham to stick to her economic approach, saying it was “starting to bear fruit” and supporting a “fiscal devolution” approach.
But some Labor MPs on the party’s left have called for Reeves to relax his own rules to allow more spending.
Reeves is reportedly considering Ed Miliband, David Miliband, Wes Streeting or Shabana Mahmood as possible replacements.
Burnham also came under pressure to commit to increasing defense spending.
The government will publish its defense investment plan (DIP) before a new prime minister replaces Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, which will deliver a multibillion-dollar funding boost.
On Sunday, former Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin called on Burnham to commit to increasing defense investment to 3.5% of GDP by 2035 if she becomes prime minister.
Asked what his advice would be to Burnham, he told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg program on Sunday: “That’s [to] keep our country safe, recognize that you have this extraordinary responsibility; So now you’re almost like a wartime prime minister.
“That means you need to invest in things that will actually keep us safe.”
Responding to the upcoming speech, Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said Burnham’s “big idea” was to distribute power among politicians, rather than introducing welfare reforms, cutting taxes or “funding the defense our country desperately needs”.
He continued: “Just more devolution, more committees, more processes. It’s Labour’s policy of distraction that deliberately avoids the questions that really matter.”
A spokesman for Reform England said previews of the speech suggested “too many words with no real substantive change”, adding: “It’s clear Burnham has taken a page out of Starmer’s book – all talk, no action.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey warned Burnham “has a very short period of time to turn this government around” as the country is “impatient for change”.
“People have heard this kind of talk before but they are sorely disappointed because nothing is changing; Burnham should not repeat this mistake,” he said.
