New prime minister Burnham pledges devolution and greater public control of utilities
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham outlined plans to increase regional devolution and expand public oversight of water and energy services, while opposition leaders criticised the proposals as adding government control and taxes.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his first address to the House of Commons since taking office on July 20 to outline a programme of increased devolution and stronger public oversight of essential services. He argued that a series of policy choices since the 1980s had shifted economic power to the private sector, describing the water industry as "a leaking monument" to that approach. Burnham said Britain "is not where we would wish it to be" and pledged to produce a plan later in the year to give the state greater control over water and energy.
He linked his devolution agenda to his experience as Greater Manchester mayor, saying that devolving powers to regions outside London had driven growth in Manchester and should be replicated across England. Burnham indicated that the government would work with Cornwall Council and its MPs on a devolution deal, "with or without an elected mayor", and said similar offers would be extended to all English areas lacking devolved powers. He also expressed interest in exploring a "local model of devolution" for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the proposals, accusing Burnham of offering "more government control, more taxes and more politicians" and rejecting his economic diagnosis. > "His diagnosis is completely wrong, his theory of growth is completely wrong, he thinks that if government spends more money, we will all get richer – that is not how this works," she said. Badenoch warned that the prime minister’s new role would differ from his mayoral duties, which she said did not require "difficult trade-offs".
During the three-and-a-half-hour speech, Burnham also touched on welfare, suggesting that increasing council-built homes could reduce the benefits bill, and announced plans to simplify the transition from leasehold to commonhold ownership. He confirmed the appointment of John Healey as chancellor, citing Healey’s commitment to defence, and said any review of the voting system would wait until after the next general election. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey used his question to call for broader political reform, noting that too much power was in "the wrong hands".
The speech marked the start of a new parliamentary session and Burnham’s first opportunity to set out his policy direction after succeeding Sir Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation as an MP shortly before the address.