Andy Burnham, the Labour leader-in-waiting and former Greater Manchester mayor, delivered a major speech Monday in Manchester detailing a new economic vision.
The proposal represents a significant shift in how the UK manages regional power, aiming to break the centralisation of authority in London. By proposing a new regional structure, Burnham seeks to address long-standing economic disparities between the north and south of England.
Central to this vision is the creation of a "No 10 North" devolution plan. This initiative would establish a regional power center based in Manchester, designed to give the north more autonomy over its economic and political destiny. The plan seeks to move decision-making power away from the capital and closer to the communities affected by those policies.
Burnham also focused on the housing crisis as a pillar of his economic strategy. He pledged to launch the biggest council-house building programme since the post-war period [1]. This commitment aims to increase the stock of affordable social housing to meet growing demand across the country.
This address marks Burnham's first major speech since announcing his bid for the Labour leadership. By anchoring his platform in devolution and housing, he is positioning himself as a champion for regional investment, and working-class stability.
The speech comes as part of a broader effort to outline a coherent economic framework for Britain. Burnham said the goal is to restructure the national economy to ensure that growth is not limited to the southeast of England.
“the biggest council-house building programme since the post-war period”
Burnham is leveraging his record as mayor to pitch a structural overhaul of the British state. By proposing a 'No 10 North,' he is moving beyond simple funding requests and instead advocating for a fundamental shift in governance. If adopted, this approach would challenge the traditional Westminster-centric model of power and could redefine the relationship between central government and regional authorities.
