Burnham Rewires Britain

Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to succeed Keir Starmer as U.K. prime minister, used a major Manchester speech to promise a sweeping decentralisation of power from Westminster to the regions. He said he would create a “No 10 North” in Manchester and deliver “the biggest rebalancing of power our country has ever seen,” giving local leaders greater autonomy as a “circuit breaker” for Britain’s sluggish state and economy. Burnham framed Westminster as “broken” and pledged to redistribute political and fiscal clout across the country if he takes office, with reports noting he could become leader as soon as July 20 if his bid remains unchallenged. His launch drew scrutiny as well as momentum, including criticism for not taking questions after setting out his policy vision.