Loyal readers of my blog will by now be bored with my yearning for the Prescott model of devolution. The Northern Way giving strategic coherence to a large part of the country woefully let down by Whitehall. Under its powerful development agencies overseen by elected assemblies. Local government reorganised along unitary lines, reducing, not increasing the number of politicians, with town and rural councils still in place for really local matters.
That uncompleted model was demolished by the Tories in 2010 and from the ashes has emerged a complex mess of local governance with the saving grace that the mayoral city region model has worked in one place at least. The success of Greater Manchester has almost certainly propelled Andy Burnham to Downing Street on the promise to bring about the real devolution that John Prescott wanted at the turn of the century.
I hope to succeed but it must be for real with fiscal powers for the city regions, mayors empowered unquestionably over Whitehall officials, and it must be for the whole of England. The West Midlands properly governed can be the equal of Greater Manchester. West and South Yorkshire also along with the North East. That’s not to forget the South West which is furious with the endless talk about Northern Powerhouse Rail when it is completely cut off when Neptune is in a bad mood at Dawlish. Too much Manchesterism is already starting to grate, not least in Liverpool. So, govern for the whole country Andy.
Much has already been written about Andy Burnham, what he is like, what he believes. So, here’s my take for what its worth. I first interviewed him for the BBC in 2001 when he was chosen to stand for Leigh. He was personable and very nervous but within two years his talents were recognised as he began his rise up the ranks of the Blair-Brown government. He comfortably fitted into the New Labour model and was twice rejected in leadership campaigns as the party swung left under the leadership of Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn. But tellingly Burnham served in both Shadow Cabinets while others refused.
After Owen Smith failed to dislodge Corbyn in 2016, Burnham decided the whole Westminster thing wasn’t for him. Elected three times as Mayor of Greater Manchester he contributed to an already successful economic model founded by Graham Stringer, Howard Bernstein, and Richard Leese, and crucially became the voice of the underfunded North.
We all know what happened in Makerfield. It has almost certainly guaranteed a seamless transition of power. Burnham has an intriguing collection of close advisers. Andy Haldane (Bank of England), James Purnell (ex-Cabinet) possibly crossbencher Lord Jim O’Neill of Gatley. Not forgetting Kevin Lee, who I remember as a wily official at North West Labour HQ twenty years ago. Then there are two women MPs. Louise Haigh and the much less known Knowsley member Anneliese Midgley who have worked skillfully against the male dominated Starmer/McSweeney regime in Burnham’s interest.
He has many challenges; creating manufacturing in the AI dominated world, defending our country, cutting welfare and stopping the boats are among them.
Finally, please indulge my passion for history. Instead of Greater Manchester, I give you Buffalo, New York. Grover Cleveland went from mayor to President in three years. Burnham will be the seventh Prime Minister in ten years. But we have had periods of high turnover before. Seven between 1757-70, six between 1801-12 and seven between 1827-37. I remember them all well!
