Burnham unveils ‘No. 10 North’, vows ‘good growth’ across UK

PM-in-waiting outlines 10-year plan to revive economy

Policy Speech

I am going to give Britain the circuit breaker it needs by taking power out of the centre and putting it in the hands of the people and places who can use it best. Growth cannot be ordered from the top down. It can only be nurtured from the bottom up.

Andy Burnham, Labour leader

London: Andy Burnham, the UK's prime minister-in-waiting and the frontrunner to replace PM Keir Starmer as Labour leader, on Monday pledged to give Britain the “circuit breaker” it needs to deliver “good growth” across the country.

In his first major policy speech since returning to Westminster as the MP for Makerfield, Burnham outlined a vision of greater devolution, saying power would shift from 10 Downing Street to a new “No. 10 North” in northern England.

“I am going to give Britain the circuit breaker it needs by taking power out of the centre and putting it in the hands of the people and places who can use it best,” he said. Burnham said Westminster had failed people after years of political turbulence and decli­ning living standards, arguing that economic growth must be driven from the bottom up. He remains the only candidate in the Labour leadership contest and is expected to be elected unopposed after nominations close on July 16.

Burnham also outlined a 10-year plan focused on reforming essential utilities, reindustrialisation and regenerating communities, while pledging to maintain sound public finances and adhere to the UK’s fiscal rules.