Burnham demands power shift from Whitehall
The Mayor of Greater Manchester used a speech at the Great North Investment Summit on Monday to launch his pitch as an MP for Makerfield and as a wide-ranging critique of centralised government, arguing that the “North doesn’t have all of the control that it needs” ahead of the forthcoming by-election.
Speaking in Leeds, Andy Burnham framed the contest as a referendum on four decades of economic policy, calling for “a serious transfer of power and resources right across the North of England”.
Burnham said the by-election would focus attention on communities “long forgotten by national politics”, including Ashton-in-Makerfield, Orrell, Winstanley, Hindley, Platt Bridge, Abram, and Bickershaw.
“My core argument is this: Britain has been on the wrong path for 40 years, a path that has damaged communities across the North,” he said.
“The de-industrialisation of the 1980s was devastating for places across Makerfield… the draining away of economic, social, and political power from these places. They were left to drift.”
The Mayor linked the decline of former industrial communities to “40 years of neo-liberalism” and argued that councils across the North had been “stripped of the resources and powers to do anything about it.”
Potholes, long the universal shorthand for public frustration and the quickest way to unite almost any room of voters, proved irresistible to Burnham as he noted: “If politics can’t fix something as simple as a pothole, you’ve got a very big problem.”
The speech also set out a series of policy ambitions for Makerfield, including bringing all local rail stations and services into the Bee Network, expanding council housing, and accelerating industrial redevelopment at the former PPG site in Hindley Green.
Burnham said his “plan for Makerfield will be ambitious” and would focus on “how we lift up its people and places over the next decade,” linking investment in transport, housing, manufacturing, and technical education to a broader push to rebalance economic power towards communities such as Hindley, Platt Bridge, Ashton-in-Makerfield, and Bickershaw.
Arguing that technical education has been neglected for decades in favour of university routes, he made his most impassioned part of the speech: “What about the millions of young people across the North of England who want technical qualifications, paths into skilled jobs, and support to reach them? Too often, they’ve been written off.”
As for the swirling question over his stance on re-joining the European Union, Burnham addressed the issue head on, reiterating that he is not advocating for it and saying Britain needs “a relentless domestic focus.”
Echoing a populist mantra found in politics across the world, he said: “Let’s fix our own country. Let’s get it working again. Let’s make it feel like a country that works for everyone.”
In his closing remarks, Burnham summed up by acknowledging Labour’s declining support across parts of the North: “The loss of faith among people who once saw Labour as their natural party is our responsibility — nobody else’s. I want to help put that right.”
The Great North Investment Summit brought together Mayors from across the North, alongside Leaders for Lancashire County Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council, for a day showcasing the region’s £14bn pipeline of investable projects.
No reference to engaging with the private sector in any of this rhetoric. As for housing, Burnham’s main focus for a decade has been to provide cheap loans for shiny towers in central Manchester, his focus now on council housing is a bit late in the day. Full devolution would involve properly resourcing democratically elected councils again rather than funnelling more money through Combined Authorities with weak mandates and little accountability.
By Anonymous
A much more hopeful vision than the Reform candidates, who just rant on about how much they hate Britain
By Anonymous
He says we have been on the wrong path for 40 years. Where has he been asleep?He spent millions of pounds on a clean air project that failed painted buses yellow and added a bee sign again spending more money and really made no difference to the bus service.Now they want him prime minister. God help us.
By Anonymous
Does anyone really think he has any interest in the constituents of Makerfield, beyond trousering their vote in the by election. Win or lose its the last time they’ll be mentioned in any of his speeches. Win and he’ll be off to London, lose and he’ll crawl back to his mayoral job in Manchester, in which he clearly has no interest
By The Blob
Quote from ‘pbctoday’, today. “The Council set out its 10-year housing strategy in 2022 with a bold commitment to help deliver 36,000 homes across all tenures and areas of the city, with at least 10,000 of these social, council or affordable homes, and at least 3,000 of these in the city centre.”
By Charles F
Andy Burnham has been an excellent mayor, but the nation’s future should be in Europe. Brexit was a disaster and Sir Keir Starmer is right to build closer links to Europe.
By Francis
For decades, places across the North have been left behind, including during the time (when he served as an MP). When industries closed in the 1980s, communities lost not just jobs, but opportunity and pride, and many were never fully rebuilt (when he served as an MP) .
Over time, power became increasingly centralised, leaving local areas without the authority or funding to solve everyday problems or shape their own future, a trend that continued during periods of government he was part of.
What we’re now seeing is a sudden “epiphany” from someone who, only months ago, was arguing for entirely different priorities, such as re-joining the EU and distancing the UK from global financial pressures. It raises a fair question about how lasting this new pro‑North rhetoric really is, and whether it will endure if political ambitions change.
As for his achievements, the headline example seems to be something as cosmetic as yellow buses — which hardly matches the scale of the challenges facing Northern communities.
By Steve5839
Steve 5839 – the decline you describe and the centralisation of power was mainly carried out by the tories especially under Thatcher who was a disaster for the North, Wales and Scotland. Reversing the dreadful failed Thatcher policy of privatisation is slowly being done starting with public transport including the GM bus service which involves a great deal more than painting the buses yellow. Burnhams idea to nationalise key services like water, and power is a winner and in stark contrast to Farage who wants to introduce an insurance based NHS which will mean health care is no longer be free at the point of delivery.
By Anonymous
Anonymous 5.38pm, social housing is funded by a combination of central government Homes England grant and Housing Association funding which they get from their own loan facilities which in my experience are usually at a better rate than other lending facilities. It should also be noted that the GM combined authority provides loans which are paid back with interest they don’t provide social or affordable housing grant.
By Anonymous
@Francis, Brexit has been far from a disaster.
By Anonymous
Anonymous 8.11pm – I can’t think of one positive to come from Brexit. I have to agree with Francis Brexit has been a complete disaster.
By Anonymous
Brexit hasn’t been a disaster. Except for the hammering of the economy, the removal of freedom of movement and the reduced ability to control migration now bemoaned at every opportunity by the same people who told you we should leave the EU. But none of these are big things, so no worries. Everything’s great.
By Anonymouswatch
Dear May 19, 2026 at 4:20 pm By Anonymous, I don’t accept your version of events. The North’s decline didn’t start with the Conservatives, it began when nationalised industries were already collapsing under inefficiency, strikes, and chronic losses. Thatcher didn’t “destroy” the North; she stopped Britain going bankrupt and forced long‑overdue modernisation and prevented another IMF intervention.
Privatisation didn’t fail. It brought investment, innovation, and better services than the old state‑run monopolies ever delivered. Reversing it now won’t magically fix anything; it just risks higher taxes and slower services.
Greater Manchester’s bus overhaul isn’t some grand victory. Repainting buses and putting them under political control doesn’t guarantee improvement; it just hands the bill to local taxpayers.
And nationalising water and energy isn’t a “winner” for the Northwest. It would cost billions we don’t have money that should go to schools, roads, and frontline services, not buying back industries that already operate under regulation.
As for the NHS, discussing insurance‑based models isn’t the same as ending free care. Plenty of European countries use mixed systems and still guarantee universal access with better outcomes.
By Steve5839
Labour has lost its working class voters through years of betrayal and a blatant hatred of their values and beliefs and Andy Burnham won’t change that. Any of the usual wittering about ..’oh it could be worse under…blah blah blah..’ is a redundant argument . Like the Tories they are yesterday’s chip paper. Now..pick a side.
By Anonymous
Couldn’t agree more..here’s to the end of the Tory/Lab uniparty. Now if we can just reduce the civil service/NGO alliance otherwise known as the blob, the North and indeed the country might even begin to prosper again.
By Anonymous
Labour have been in only 2 years. Nobody has been “betrayed” – what silly rhetoric. They are shower quietly and determinedly clearing up the titanic mess in public finances, public services and moribund private sector growth they were left with. What Burnham and the GMCA and all the local authorities in Greater Manchester have achieved over the last 10 years or so is testament to what can be done. This doesn’t play well as a silly social media meme but it’s just what we need as a country. What we don’t need is silly self serving snake oil salesmen from the likes of Reform promising magical solutions. They’re the ones who will betray the north.
By Anonymous
Labour has already been rejected and soundly beaten in the council elections and it’s going to be more of the same come the General election. They have been judged by left and right alike. ‘silly rhetoric ‘ to some is reality to so many others . Some arguments are likely just a hard cope. The ballot box tells all !
By Anonymous
Oh ‘the only two years’ argument’..every government plays that card when they get in. I hope Andy sticks to the buses. There’s literally no long term hope of him being in number 10
By Anonymous
Commenters talk about ‘yellow buses’ in a dismissive way but actually to wrest control from a Westminster-imposed deregulated model, in the teeth of opposition from some Westminster MPs, civil servants and the
bus industry just shows the value of properly empowered local government. The network is going from strength to strength, possibly expanding to rail and just shows what can be done. Reform want to dismantle all this.
Same goes for devolution of parts of the health service, economic development, skills agenda, transport funding – all these profoundly impact quality of life locally and are a testament to the combined authority under the leadership of Burnham and his predecessor; and to the value of local authorities working together under this model. Again, Reform want to dismantle all this.
By Anonymous
I think if you you’re going to go on a rant it’s important to at least try to get the basics right. Reform have said no such thing about dismantling the bus system in Manchester or public transport generally any more than the Greens or the Lib Dem’s have. It’s very easy to fact check everything these days to see what is actually said if you can be bothered and remember blinkers..they not only narrow your vision they narrow your mind.
By Anonymous