Andy Burnham has written an exclusive letter to the Manchester Evening News as he prepares to leave the role of Greater Manchester Mayor after nearly a decade. In the letter, he reflects on his time in office, from the Manchester Arena attack and the Covid pandemic to the introduction of the Bee Network and A Bed Every Night, and outlines his vision for a 'Number 10 North' to shift power away from Westminster.
Reflections on a decade of change
Burnham recalls being mayor for just over two weeks when the Manchester Arena attack occurred, describing it as the darkest of moments where Greater Manchester showed courage and compassion. He notes that the worker bee became a symbol of that spirit, even persuading him to get his first tattoo at nearly 50. During the pandemic, he felt the whole of Greater Manchester pulling together, and he stood his ground against Westminster when restrictions were imposed without sufficient support.
He writes: 'That period changed me. It showed me the strength of a place united behind a common cause and gave me the confidence to keep fighting for a different kind of politics.'
A different kind of politics
Burnham argues that over the past decade, Greater Manchester has built a politics based on 'place first, not party first; problem-solving, not point-scoring; long-term, not short-term.' He highlights achievements such as the Bee Network, which improved transport for a care worker in Wigan and a teenager in Oldham; A Bed Every Night, which provided shelter for rough sleepers; stronger technical education routes for young people in Rochdale and Tameside; renewed town centres like Stockport; and more devolved power for families in Bolton, Bury, and Trafford.
He acknowledges that not every problem has been solved, with many still struggling with insecure housing, low pay, and the cost of living, but insists that change is possible when a place works as one.
Support for Bev Craig
Burnham throws his full support behind Bev Craig as his successor, stating: 'Under her uplifting vision, the last nine years of progress will continue at pace, with free bus travel for young people, renewed high streets, more affordable homes and growth shared across every borough.' He expresses confidence that Craig will surpass his record.
Number 10 North and the future
Burnham outlines plans to create a 'Number 10 North' as part of his mission to shift power away from Westminster. He describes it as 'a permanent part of the Prime Minister's operation, based here in Greater Manchester. Not a token office, and not an office concerned only with the North, but the nerve centre of a rewired Britain.'
He concludes: 'Now it is time to take Manchesterism to the country.'
