Andy Burnham (Labour), the Mayor of Greater Manchester, pledged a radical devolution plan on Monday to shift power and resources away from London [1, 2].
The proposal seeks to address stark regional economic divides by countering the UK's extreme tax centralization compared to other G7 nations [1, 4].
Speaking in Manchester, Burnham said his vision is "rewiring Britain" [1, 2]. He proposed the creation of a "No 10 North" in Manchester to deliver what he called the biggest rebalancing of power the country has seen [1, 2, 3].
"We will bring about the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen," Burnham said [2].
The initiative is part of a 10-year economic plan [2]. The push for devolution is expected to begin if Burnham becomes Prime Minister next month [3, 4].
Burnham has built his reputation on championing regional devolution during his tenure as Greater Manchester’s mayor, a role that earned him the nickname "king of the north" [4].
The plan aims to boost growth in the north by redistributing resources that have historically remained concentrated in the capital [1, 4].
“"We will bring about the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen."”
This plan represents a fundamental shift in British governance by challenging the 'Westminster-centric' model. By proposing a secondary power hub in the North, Burnham is attempting to institutionalize regional autonomy, though the success of such a 'devolution blitz' will likely depend on the cooperation of the Treasury.
