Andy Burnham's grand vision of 'Manchester-ism' and his plan to 'Rewire Britain' have come under fire from columnist Carole Malone, who warns that devolution has already reduced Scotland and Wales to economic basket cases and will do the same to England. Writing for GB News, Malone argues that Burnham, whom she derisively calls 'Mr Eyelashes', lacks the mandate, experience, and detailed policies to deliver his promised transformation.
Devolution's track record in Scotland and Wales
Malone points to the failures of devolution in Scotland and Wales, claiming both countries have become 'economic basket cases'. She asserts that Wales is now one of the poorest parts of Europe, with primary school children leaving unable to read or write, and that health services and education in both nations are 'in the toilet'. She questions why England would want to follow the same path under Burnham's plan, which she describes as 'splitting the country up into devolved little fiefdoms run by a bunch of inexperienced local mayors'.
Burnham's speech: old ideas, no substance
According to Malone, Burnham's recent speech in Manchester, where he called for 'the biggest rebalancing of power ever', was merely a rehash of ideas from 30 years ago. She notes that he refused to take questions from the press, suggesting he had no details to offer. 'If Burnham really had a big, workable idea and had faith in it, he'd have been desperate to explain and answer questions about it to the media,' she writes. 'But he didn't – he ran away and hid from them.'
Malone also criticises Burnham for failing to address pressing national issues such as the £3 trillion debt, out-of-control immigration, the £100 billion benefits bill, and the underfunded military. She argues that his focus on devolution is a distraction from the real problems engulfing Britain.
Small-town mentality and lack of preparedness
Malone accuses Burnham of having a 'small town mayor mentality' despite the Herculean task of leading the country. She claims he is unprepared for the cut and thrust of mainstream politics, having spent eight years as Manchester's Mayor, a role she describes as 'giving away lots of money'. She points to a recent BBC interview with Victoria Derbyshire where Burnham was reduced to 'a stuttering, mumbling fool' under tame questioning, and suggests his team is keeping him away from tough media scrutiny.
'His problem is, he had expected Starmer to stay until September which would have given him time to pull together some policies. But Starmer's rightly said, 'stuff you',' Malone writes. 'This is why he refused to take questions from the press because he knew full well if they drilled down and asked for details of his plans – there were none.'
Cost and feasibility of a Northern Number 10
Malone questions the need for a 'Number 10 in the North', arguing that Westminster already serves every region of the country. She estimates that creating a new arm of government in Manchester, hundreds of miles from Whitehall, would cost taxpayers billions and is unlikely to work. 'Burnham can't operate as a part time PM – half-in, half-out. He needs to be fully present and correct in Westminster to be answerable to the Opposition and to all the MP's who represent the British people,' she asserts.
She also suggests that the move is a 'pathetic populist attempt to win back the Red Wall', and warns that it would neglect people in the South, East, and Midlands.
Conclusion: a leader not up to the task
Malone concludes that Burnham is 'totally unprepared for what's about to hit him and he won't cope'. She predicts his honeymoon period will be even shorter than Keir Starmer's, and that the country needs a strong, decisive leader to take action immediately. 'Burnham says he wants ten years to fix Britain, but the truth is we haven't got ten months,' she writes. 'And the only thing that can save us is a strong, decisive leader who'll take action right now. But anyone who knows Andy Burnham knows he's a million miles from being Action Man.'
