BURNHAM PREACHES MORE DEVOLUTION

With all indicators suggesting that he is on the way to becoming the next British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, the now ex-Mayor of Manchester  recently elected as new MP for Makerfield, set out what is seen as his first major policy pitch on Monday, June 29th.

Speaking in Manchester, Mr Burnham dwelt heavily on reviving the economic prospects for the north of England, which he feels has been ignored.

Questions remain on his foreign policy outlook and on key issues such as immigration control.

But it’s the matter of devolution - moving more focus and paowers out of central government in London to the UK’s Nations and Regions - that seems to have drawn most attention. The UK’s Nations and Regions are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“I am going to give Britain the circuit-breaker it needs, by building a more collaborative politics in Westminster, by taking power out of the centre and putting it in the hands of the people and places who can use it best and, in so doing, creating a new sense of agency, possibility and hope flowing around the country,” Mr Burnham said.

IMBALANCES

He lamented the centralisation of power and investment in the capital - London, and the south-east of the country, which he felt disadvantaged other areas.

The stark imbalance in resources between the national government and local government is holding back growth. If councils can’t fix potholes, what chance do they have of bringing forward major regeneration schemes to get growth going? While the national government has got bigger, particularly since the pandemic, local government is threadbare and without the resources to fulfil even statutory responsibilities. This is not just bad for councils and the areas they serve; it is bad for everywhere.”

As envisaged by Mr Burnham, “The change will be the biggest change in our lifetimes to the way the country is run, and it is consistent with the 2024 manifesto. We will create a more streamlined state with a clearer purpose: to power up all parts of the country and put a laser-like focus on growth and regeneration.”

Against that background, Mr Burnham introduced his concept of ‘Number 10 of the North’. This is a deliberate shift of some of the power and influence from 10 Downing Street in London, the globally and historically recognised office and residence of the British Prime Minister.

DEVOLUTION

“Number 10 North will be the nerve centre for a rewired Britain. It will be the conduit through which we redistribute power and resources across the UK. It will coordinate all parts of government, at national and local level, to agree a long-term economic strategy and help all places set new growth ambitions…It will make place-based collaboration the new operating principle for UK plc, requiring all government departments and agencies to support strategic and local authorities with staffing and resources. And let me say this very directly: the days of Whitehall fighting the devolution of power into the regions and nations are over, for good.”

In his policy agenda on further devolution of power and investment from London, 10 Downing Street and Whitehall collectively, no mention was made of any similar overtures for the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. Several OTs have embarked on proposals and negotiations with the UK for constitutional reform. The Overseas Territories fall under the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office(FCDO), with a different constitutional arrangement from the UK’s internal Nations and Regions.

OTs POLICY AWAITED

As recently reported by the Caymanian Times, the outgoing Keir Starmer government has assured the Overseas Territories that the UK “remains committed to continuing and strengthening engagement with the OTs”. However, the government has made it clear that a new ‘white paper’ on its future relationship with its territories, recommended by the UK’s House of Lords Constitutional Committee, is not on the agenda. That position is likely to remain unchanged under the incoming UK Labour Party government, expected to take office before the end of the summer, and most likely to be headed by Andy Burnham.  Sir Keir Starmer abruptly announced his resignation earlier this month after Mr Burnham was elected to serve again as an MP, bowing to pressure from his own ruling Labour Party. Mr Burnham, who had previously expressed his dissatisfaction with Mr Starmer’s leadership, is yet to outline his foreign policy agenda, which is expected to include the Overseas Territories.