Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has issued a powerful challenge to Labour leader Keir Starmer, demanding a fundamental shift in how England is governed if the party wins the next general election.
In a striking intervention that could define Labour's approach to regional power, Burnham declared that the current Westminster-centric model has "failed" and called for Starmer to embrace a radical devolution agenda that would give northern regions genuine control over their futures.
The Northern Mandate
Speaking with the authority of a mayor who has transformed Greater Manchester's political landscape, Burnham argued that meaningful change cannot be delivered through the same centralised systems that have left northern communities behind.
"What I would say to the Labour leadership is that the old way of governing England from the centre has failed," Burnham stated. "It hasn't worked for the North of England, and it hasn't worked for the Midlands either."
Beyond Token Gestures
The Manchester mayor emphasised that this isn't about minor administrative changes but about fundamentally rethinking how power is distributed across England. He warned against what he called "the old approach of just handing down a little bit of power from London" and insisted that real devolution requires giving English regions the tools to shape their own economic and social destinies.
Burnham's comments represent both an opportunity and a challenge for Starmer, who must balance the demands of northern powerhouses with the practicalities of national governance.
A Warning Shot Across the Bows
While careful not to directly criticise Starmer personally, Burnham's message serves as a clear warning that northern leaders expect more than warm words about "levelling up" - they want concrete commitments to transfer real power from Whitehall to town halls across the North.
The intervention comes at a crucial moment for Labour, with the party maintaining strong poll leads but facing increasing pressure to demonstrate how it would govern differently from both previous Labour administrations and the current Conservative government.
Burnham's stature as one of Labour's most successful regional leaders gives his words particular weight, and his vision for a properly devolved England could become a defining issue in the run-up to the next election.
