DIB INSIGHTS: BURNHAM AND BIRMINGHAM
If Andy Burnham’s remarkable political journey takes him from Greater Manchester Mayor to Prime Minister, Birmingham and the West Midlands could find themselves in a stronger position than at any point since the creation of the Combined Authority.
Burnham has spent the last decade arguing that Britain’s economic success depends on strong city regions, empowered local leaders and genuine devolution. Unlike many politicians who talk about levelling up, he has delivered a model of regional leadership that has transformed Greater Manchester’s influence in Whitehall.
The West Midlands is already well placed to benefit from such an approach.
Mayor Richard Parker and Burnham have worked closely together on a range of issues, particularly around transport, housing, skills and devolved powers. Both men share a belief that local leaders are better equipped than Whitehall departments to make decisions about economic growth.
A Burnham government would almost certainly accelerate the transfer of powers and funding away from central government and into mayoral combined authorities. That could mean greater control over transport networks, further education budgets, housing investment and economic development funding for the West Midlands.
For Birmingham, this would be particularly significant.
The city remains one of the UK’s most important economic assets, boasting world-class universities, a thriving professional services sector, major manufacturing strengths and an increasingly impressive technology cluster. Yet Birmingham has often struggled to secure the level of infrastructure investment and political attention its scale deserves.
A Prime Minister who genuinely understands the importance of regional economies could help change that.
Of course, there will be challenges. Birmingham’s financial difficulties will not disappear overnight, and a Burnham government would face enormous pressures on public spending. Nevertheless, the direction of travel would be encouraging.
Perhaps most importantly, a Burnham premiership would reinforce the growing importance of mayors as national political players. For Richard Parker, that could mean a bigger voice in shaping government policy and a closer relationship with Downing Street.
For Birmingham and the West Midlands, Burnham’s arrival in Number 10 may not solve every problem. But it could create the most favourable political environment for regional growth that the city-region has seen in decades.
