‘Good growth in every postcode’: Burnham’s economic to-do list in seven charts
Andy Burnham has become prime minister at a moment when Britain faces weak growth in living standards, deep regional inequality and pressure on public finances, having campaigned on a promise to deliver "good growth in every postcode" by devolving power away from Westminster. The scale of that ambition matters because his approach marks a shift from London-centric policymaking towards regional empowerment, but with limited time before the next election and constrained public spending, delivering on it will be difficult.
Key priorities include reindustrialisation, with a pledge to protect manufacturing in sectors such as steel, defence, energy and farming, even though industry has shrunk from about 30% of the economy in 1979 to roughly a tenth today and faces high energy costs and competition from Asia. Burnham also wants the "biggest rebalancing of power" ever seen, including a new No 10 hub in Manchester and devolved tax powers to regional leaders; the OECD has backed devolution as a way to boost underperforming regions, though critics warn it could create inefficiencies given local government's reduced capacity after years of cuts. The article notes further areas — including defence, housing and the cost of living — that will shape his in-tray, illustrated with accompanying charts.
- Andy Burnham becomes PM facing weak growth and regional inequality.
- He pledges "good growth in every postcode" via devolution and industrial strategy.
- Experts warn devolution and reindustrialisation face funding and capacity hurdles.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that decades of centralised, London-focused policymaking have left large parts of Britain with weaker growth, poorer infrastructure and less say over their own economic future, so devolving tax powers and decision-making to regional leaders who understand local conditions is a sensible correction, one endorsed by bodies such as the OECD as a proven route to lifting underperforming regions. They also contend that protecting strategic industries like steel, defence and energy is not mere nostalgia but a matter of national resilience, jobs and supply-chain security, especially given how far manufacturing has shrunk and how exposed Britain has become to external shocks and foreign competition.
The case against
Sceptics counter that handing significant fiscal and policy power to regional authorities risks fragmentation and inefficiency, particularly since years of funding cuts have left many local councils without the administrative capacity or expertise to manage such responsibilities well, potentially producing inconsistent outcomes across the country rather than the promised equality. They also warn that propping up manufacturing sectors facing high energy costs and cheaper Asian competition could mean directing scarce public money towards industries in structural decline, when that spending, given tightly constrained public finances and a short political runway, might deliver better returns if focused elsewhere.
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