Burnham outlines devolution plan in first speech as prime minister-designate

Andy Burnham, three weeks from moving into Downing Street, delivered his first speech as prime minister-designate in Manchester, emphasizing a shift of power away from Westminster. He described his approach as "Manchesterism" and said it would serve as a model for the rest of the country.

The centerpiece of the proposal is the creation of a new prime ministerial office, dubbed No 10 North, based in Manchester. Burnham said the office would oversee the "biggest council housebuilding programme since the postwar period" and hinted at a broader reorganisation of government departments.

Burnham also pledged to grant additional powers to locally-elected leaders in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, positioning the reforms as a way to improve living standards and support businesses such as pubs. He called for "more collaborative politics" and criticised what he termed "finger-pointing" in Westminster, suggesting it undermines public trust.

While the speech highlighted economic goals, much of the detail on implementation remains to be clarified. Labour MPs from London and the south-east expressed concern about the focus on the north-west, with one northern MP noting that southern colleagues might be uneasy about the proposed changes.

Burnham also remarked that Parliament now feels less pleasant than during his previous tenure as an MP, attributing the shift to factors such as public disaffection, social media and security concerns.