Andy Burnham will enter Downing Street on Monday with a promise that has eluded successive British prime ministers for more than a decade: reviving economic growth.
But unlike his predecessors, Burnham is betting that the answer does not lie in Whitehall.
Instead, the incoming Labour leader is proposing a sweeping transfer of power to Britain’s regions, arguing that local leaders—not central government—are best placed to unlock investment, rebuild industry and improve living standards.
His slogan, “Good growth in every postcode,” captures a strategy that prioritises devolution, public investment and regional development over short-term fiscal stimulus.
While economists broadly agree that the approach could strengthen Britain’s economy over time, many also caution that it is unlikely to deliver immediate gains for households facing a prolonged cost-of-living squeeze.
A decentralisation agenda at the heart of economic policy
Speaking after being confirmed as Labour leader at a special party conference on Friday, Burnham outlined an agenda centred on shifting power away from Westminster.
“We will take power back from Westminster and Whitehall and give it to the place you live,” he told delegates. “More power over life’s essentials so you can make them work better.”
He described the reforms as “the biggest change in our lifetimes to the way the country is run,” arguing that economic growth cannot continue to be directed solely from London.
“It is time for Whitehall to accept that growth cannot be ordered from the top down. Instead, it can only be nurtured from the bottom up,” Burnham said in a speech on June 29.
The centrepiece of the plan is the creation of a new “Number 10 North” office in Manchester, which would oversee the government’s decentralisation programme and help local authorities reform transport, housing, utilities and industrial policy.
Burnham also wants to extend devolution beyond England, offering Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland greater opportunities to deepen their existing powers.
A long-term answer to Britain’s growth problem
Burnham inherits an economy that has struggled to regain momentum since the global financial crisis.
Britain’s gross domestic product per person has increased by only about 7% since early 2008, a sharp slowdown compared with the decade before the crisis.
More recently, official data showed the economy grew by just 0.1% in May after contracting by the same amount in April, underscoring how fragile the recovery remains.
Oxford Economics believes Burnham’s strategy reflects a structural rather than cyclical response to these challenges.
“Burnham’s economic strategy will likely focus on regional policy and public investment, aiming to address disparities in spending while promoting devolution. Although these measures may not yield immediate growth, they could lay the groundwork for long-term improvements in the UK economy,” the consultancy said.
Economists argue that local authorities often possess better information about labour markets, infrastructure needs and business investment than central government.
In a New York Times report, Diane Coyle, professor of public policy at the University of Cambridge, said regional officials are better positioned to understand what skills employers require and can tailor education and training accordingly.
Britain is “extraordinarily centralized,” said Coyle.
The OECD echoed that assessment this week, saying reducing Britain’s large regional productivity gaps could lift overall national growth by improving transport, employment and local economic participation.
Manufacturing and defence move back into focus
Beyond decentralisation, Burnham wants to rebuild Britain’s industrial base.
He has pledged to support domestic manufacturing in sectors including steel, defence, energy, farming and food production while reducing reliance on overseas suppliers.
Defence investment is expected to play a central role in that strategy, with Burnham arguing that military spending should also help regenerate industrial regions through domestic production.
He has also pledged to preserve Britain’s “sovereign manufacturing” capabilities and make it easier for UK firms to secure public-sector contracts.
The approach marks a shift toward using industrial policy alongside regional development to stimulate economic activity.
Housing and public services
Housing is another pillar of Burnham’s economic programme.
He has promised what he describes as the largest council house-building programme since the years immediately following the Second World War, using surplus public land to reduce construction costs.
Burnham has also endorsed a “Housing First” approach modelled on Finland, aiming to tackle homelessness alongside broader affordability challenges.
His longer-term plans include a 10-year strategy to reduce the cost of housing, energy, water and transport by placing these sectors under greater public oversight.
Rather than widespread nationalisation, economists expect the government to rely on tighter regulation and partnerships with private companies given fiscal constraints.
Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation, believes the government will also need to introduce measures that provide faster relief.
The new administration will likely deliver “a few eye-catching measures to address the cost of living,” potentially targeting energy prices, rents or social housing, he said in the NYT report.
Tax reforms likely to remain targeted
Burnham has pledged to retain Labour’s fiscal rules, including balancing day-to-day spending with revenue and avoiding tax increases on working people.
Instead, he has proposed targeted reforms.
Among them are lower business rates for pubs and music venues, funded through higher taxes on large distribution warehouses used by online retailers such as Amazon.
He also wants to raise the threshold at which business rates begin, removing many small high street businesses from the tax altogether.
Another idea under consideration is a land-value tax, which could eventually replace stamp duty or council tax.
Business welcomes stability but wants engagement
Despite the emphasis on economic reform, sections of Britain’s corporate sector remain uneasy.
According to the Financial Times, several major businesses have struggled to establish regular communication with Burnham’s advisers before he enters office.
Executives reportedly fear the incoming administration is prioritising government restructuring and devolution ahead of business engagement.
Some business leaders also worry that the transition team lacks dedicated advisers responsible for liaising with industry on economic policy.
Whether Burnham can bridge that gap while delivering his decentralisation agenda may prove one of the defining tests of his premiership.
His strategy promises to reshape how Britain governs its economy.
The bigger question is whether it can finally deliver the sustained growth successive governments have failed to achieve.
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