Labour lawmaker Andy Burnham outlined a state-led economic vision expanding public control over services such as water and boosting regional growth outside London, in his first speech in Manchester on Monday since returning to Westminster earlier in June.
He said his plans are consistent with the party's 2024 manifesto reiterating his commitment to a series of fiscal rules. These include balancing day-to-day spending with tax revenues and reducing debt as a share of output - closely watched by financial markets.
He said the welfare system should be reformed in a way that supports long-term independence.
“We will reduce the welfare bill in a way that is fair and lasting and helps people move forward,” he said, stressing that reforms should not penalise those in need.
He also said one route to reducing welfare spending would be repairing the public housing stock, linking social policy with infrastructure improvement.
He said his plan for change "whilst not taking risks with the public finances, will seek to give Britain some breathing space."
Andy Burnham repeated his argument for stronger oversight of essential services, including water, saying greater public control is needed to improve accountability and outcomes.
He also said the state should “intervene more directly in the economy where needed,” adding that it should not “leave everything to the market.”
His wider economic approach includes supporting regional growth through “good growth funds” aimed at expanding opportunity beyond London and reducing regional inequality.
He described the agenda as a “new era of possibility for Britain,” while maintaining alignment with Labour’s 2024 manifesto commitments.
He also emphasised a “laser-like focus on growth and regeneration” aimed at “powering up all parts of the country.”
Andy Burnham is currently the only declared candidate to potentially replace Keir Starmer as UK prime minister, with speculation that a transition could take place within weeks.
He added that senior appointments, including the finance minister role, would not be announced until the leadership process is complete.
He also said governance would be driven through the prime minister’s office, operating in what he described as an “extended operation based here in Manchester.”
Rising temperatures are threatening Georgia’s farms, energy supply and banking sector, with experts warning that the country has a narrow window to ...
Iran said it was nearing a final pact with Oman defining new shipping lanes between them through the Strait of Hormuz but repeated that the U.S. must ...
Iran is moving closer to ratifying a long-delayed agreement governing the Caspian Sea, as Tehran seeks closer ties with neighbouring states amid growi...
An agreement between Iran and the U.S. to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is expected "soon," a U.S. official has said. The deal would result in the resumption of commercial shipping through the sea passage and the lifting of an American naval blockade on Iranian ports.
A deal on a new route for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is "very close," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said, while warning that the reopening of the waterway depends on the U.S. meeting other conditions, including paying compensation to Iran.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 9th of August, covering the latest developments.
Iran said it was nearing a final pact with Oman defining new shipping lanes between them through the Strait of Hormuz but repeated that the U.S. must meet other conditions.
Flights arriving at Catania airport in eastern Sicily were suspended after volcanic ash from a new eruption of Mount Etna drifted into the airspace around the airport, disrupting operations at one of Italy’s busiest aviation hubs.
On 10 August, AnewZ’s Daybreak focused on developments in Gaza, Lebanon-Israel negotiations, Iran’s position on talks with Washington and the latest global security and climate-related challenges.
Eclipse fever is building in Madrid as residents and visitors rush to secure protective glasses ahead of a rare total solar eclipse near sunset on Wednesday (12 August).
A gunman was arrested after opening fire at a local government office near Bangkok on Monday, days after a deadly school shooting renewed debate over gun control in Thailand.
Flights arriving at Catania airport in eastern Sicily were suspended after volcanic ash from a new eruption of Mount Etna drifted into the airspace around the airport, disrupting operations at one of Italy’s busiest aviation hubs.
The future of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza roadmap remains uncertain, with Israel and Hamas divided over its implementation, particularly the sequence of Hamas’s disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment