Andy Burnham, the Labour lawmaker seen as the frontrunner to become Britain's next prime minister, has unveiled a plan to launch the largest public rental housing construction program since World War II. He also presented a plan to fully overhaul the country's governing system, including transferring power concentrated at the center to local governments on a large scale and strengthening public control over essential public services such as water, energy and transport.
According to The Times and the Financial Times (FT) on Monday, Burnham held a major policy speech at the People's History Museum in Manchester, his political base, announcing an economic vision centered on balanced regional development. Burnham, who is widely expected to take office as prime minister on the 20th of next month, stressed: "Britain is not where it should be," and "I will bring about the biggest change in the country's governing system in our lifetime."
The core of the reform Burnham put forward is devolution. He formalized the so-called "Number 10 North" plan to relocate some functions of the Prime Minister's Office to Manchester. The organization is expected to serve as a control tower for dispersing power concentrated in London to the regions, and to oversee public service reform, reindustrialization and public housing supply policies.
"Number 10 North will be the nerve center of a newly reshaped British economy," Burnham said. "The British government must accept that growth is triggered from the regions, not from central directives."
Burnham plans to gradually expand government control over essential public services such as water, housing, energy and transport over the next decade. Citing the bus model introduced in Greater Manchester, which combines private operation with local government oversight, he added a plan to extend such success cases nationwide.
A sweeping housing supply policy was also among his key pledges. Burnham said he would push forward the largest postwar public housing construction program based on a "Housing First" philosophy. His diagnosis is that Britain is in a serious housing crisis, given that about 1.5 million social housing units have been sold off since the 1980s and more than 1 million people are currently waiting to move into public housing.
He also presented measures to ease the burden of living costs to respond to high prices. "We need practical support so that people can cope with the cost of living that has surged right now," he said, promising to "give the British economy some breathing room within a range that does not damage public finances."
However, some point out that Burnham's policy plans remain at a declaratory level. The FT noted that "Burnham did not take questions from reporters after finishing his speech," saying this "shows that there are still quite a few uncertain elements among his policy plans."
The opposition also went on the attack. Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, criticized: "Burnham must come to Parliament to explain what he intends to do and answer questions from lawmakers elected to hold the government to account on behalf of the people," adding, "It is not enough to just give a speech in Manchester and not take questions."
