Andy Burnham has said Britain may need a written constitution, arguing that his push for greater devolution across England would fundamentally reshape how the country is governed. The Independent article, though somewhat unusually worded, presents comments from Burnham (referred to in places as Prime Minister, which appears to be an error given his known role as Greater Manchester mayor) in which he links plans for expanded regional powers to a broader case for formal constitutional reform.

Burnham said his proposals, including giving all areas the right to become "strategic authorities" and retain more of their own income tax and business rates, should form the "cornerstone" of a new constitutional settlement built around equivalent living standards across the country. He and Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram previously argued for a written constitution in their 2024 book, Head North: A Rallying Cry for a More Equal Britain. The UK currently has no single written constitution, instead relying on a mix of common law, statutes and conventions built up over time.