Civic chiefs urged Andy Burnham not to “level down” London in his devolution revolution. Councillor Paul Swaddle, Tory leader of Westminster City Council, also warned the Prime Minister-in-waiting against “hollowing out London” with his landmark reforms.
Burnham's Devolution Plans
Mr Burnham has vowed to deliver the “biggest devolution of powers in modern times” if as expected he becomes PM on July 20. One of his key allies, Peckham MP Miatta Fahnbulleh, said this would mean central Government being “far smaller” as powers are devolved to regional mayors. Sir Sadiq Khan will get more control over homes and education but he has warned Mr Burnham not to slash investment for London. The huge shift in power will also inevitably mean tens of thousands fewer central government jobs in Whitehall.
Warning from Westminster Council Leader
Cllr Swaddle told The Standard: “You don't level up the north by levelling down London. Growth isn't about moving things around, it's about making new opportunities and realising them.” He accused Sir Keir Starmer’s government of already “raiding the capital” with its shake-up of local government funding to divert more money to the North and Midlands. “Their Fair Funding Review already strips millions from councils like ours, hitting inner London hardest and forcing brutal choices on public services, and now they're coming for the jobs,” he added. “Real devolution means backing councils to grow, not hollowing out London to prove a point.”
Burnham's Vision for London
Under Mr Burnham’s reshaping of Government, a “No10 North” will drive programmes to boost regional economies, with more focus on reindustrialisation, new infrastructure and measures to cut the cost of living including reducing transport fares in London. Mr Burnham on Tuesday set out at least part of his plans for London, vowing to deliver “good growth in every postcode”.
Reform UK Criticism
But Reform UK London mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham accused the former Greater Manchester Mayor of failing to address key issues for the capital including tackling crime and immigration. She said: “His three-point plan talks about new structures, new offices, new systems and redistributing power. He calls it ‘rewiring Britain’. But to Londoners who are struggling to pay the rent, waiting too long for services, worried about crime on their streets and wondering whether their children will ever afford to live in the city they grew up in, it sounds like another Labour politician promising to move the furniture around while the house is on fire.”
Funding and Economic Concerns
Makerfield MP Mr Burnham is expected to channel billions more in public funding to the regions under his blueprint for Britain. He has pledged the biggest council homes building programme since the post-war period. However, he has yet to say how he will fund his major reforms, especially as he will already have to find billions of pounds to pay for the defence investment plan. The fiscal situation has sparked concerns that he will resort to a new wave of tax rises which would hit London hardest, having previously backed replacing council tax and stamp duty with a property tax which would land the capital with a £7.5 billion extra bill.
London has the highest unemployment in the country, at 6.6%, according to the Office for National Statistics, compared to 5% in the North West, and 2.9% in the Wigan area which includes part of the Makerfield constituency.
