Andy Burnham’s “No.10 North” vision promises bold reform—but can Britain afford another political reset?
Andy Burnham has finally said something that sounds like momentum rather than managed decline.
His devolution pitch, delivered in Manchester with the promise of a “No.10 North”, is the sort of big, optimistic framing we have been missing since 2024, when Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves talked down an economy that was showing early signs of life, then ensured their words came true with timid policy, tax hikes and a general air of national self-doubt.
Burnham’s argument is simple.
Westminster is broken, power is too centralised, and the country will not grow properly until mayors and local authorities have real tools, real budgets and real responsibility. He is selling “Manchesterism” as proof of concept, and he is right about one thing.
The UK has been run like a head office that does not trust its branches.
When everything has to be signed off in Whitehall, nothing moves quickly and nothing is properly owned.
A More Active State
There is also a welcome realism in his line that markets alone will not do the job.
Anyone who has tried to regenerate a high street, build infrastructure or fix housing supply knows that “leave it to the market” is often code for “watch it fail slowly but with other people’s money.”
Add in his promises on reforming business rates, backing the high street, pubs and a council house building programme on an immediate post-war scale, and you can see why the party faithful were clapping.
But optimism is not funding.
The Difficult Questions
The questions are clear—and not cynical.
- Where will the money come from?
- Who will be worse off?
- What is the plan to stop the country drifting into yet more tax rises?
- Or is the bet simply that growth will pay for it all?
Then what about inflation?
Burnham says he will stick to fiscal rules, which is sensible, but it also tightens the straitjacket.
Big promises, tight rules and an economy that has been limping for generations is not an easy equation.
Housing
Housing.
A reset is long overdue, as I have argued for years.
The private rented sector has its place, but the flogged-off council housing that was never replaced has simply transferred wealth from local council taxpayers to landlords.
If Burnham is serious about rebuilding council housing at scale, he will be pushing against decades of short-termism and a planning system that can turn a build into a multi-year, vote-losing saga.
Politics
And then there is the political reality or mess, to be more specific.
Another new leader.
Another new Prime Minister.
Policies that were in no manifesto anyone voted for.
To predict what comes next, we need an astrologer, not a property market pundit.
Final Thoughts
Be sure of this, though.
In the short term, any meddling with the property market will cause a slowdown as people and businesses take time to adjust.
Buyers pause.
Sellers hesitate.
Lenders reprice risk.
Developers wait to see which way the wind is blowing.
If Burnham wants a “rewired Britain,” good luck to him.
But we need a plan that does not end with the bill landing on the same people, yet again.
