Andy Burnham has appointed a new Cabinet dominated by ministers from the north of England, with only two from London, according to an analysis. The move is in keeping with his promise to devolve power out of London, but risks alienating southern voters and Labour colleagues.
Cabinet Makeup
The analysis found seven Cabinet ministers from the North West, where Mr Burnham has his Greater Manchester constituency, four from Yorkshire, and two from the North East. In contrast, just two ministers come from London.
Many will say it is right that the rest of the country gets a say after London dominated politics for so long. However, the approach also has huge dangers for Mr Burnham.
Risks for Burnham
London is a Labour stronghold with 58 Labour MPs, and Mr Burnham cannot afford to ignore it or let Londoners feel unrepresented. There are also 63 Labour MPs in the North West. The capital is in danger of feeling neglected.
He also risks a backlash from Labour colleagues who may believe their chances of promotion are dashed because their constituency is in the wrong part of the country. Voters in the south may start to feel they are being denied funding and attention.
It remains to be seen how voters in regions such as the East Midlands, which has one cabinet minister, feel about it. They do not feel any particular loyalty to Manchester.
Mr Burnham's devolution policy is interesting but risks dividing the country.
