Burnham's Devolution Plans Signal Warning to Whitehall, Says Minister
Andy Burnham's proposals to implement the largest transfer of power from central government to local authorities have been described as a "clear warning" to Whitehall by a cabinet minister.
Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, expressed support for Burnham's devolution plans during an event held in London. Speaking at the event, Jones emphasized the need for Westminster to place trust in local leaders to make appropriate decisions and indicated that government departments might "shrink" if Burnham assumes the role of prime minister.
Jones also voiced approval of Burnham's concept of 'No 10 North' but recommended that Burnham, as Sir Keir Starmer's likely successor, should also "strengthen the centre" by establishing a dedicated department for the prime minister in London.
Burnham is widely anticipated to become the next prime minister following the conclusion of the Labour leadership contest later this month, after Sir Keir Starmer's resignation last week.
Burnham's Leadership Bid and Devolution Vision
In his Labour leadership launch speech on Monday, Burnham outlined his ambition to redistribute power throughout the UK to "drive good growth in every postcode." His central commitment involves devolving authority to local communities, moving power away from senior Whitehall civil servants, whom he accused of having "blocked" progress in Greater Manchester during his tenure as mayor.
"It is time for Whitehall to accept that growth cannot be ordered from the top down - it can only be nurtured from the bottom up," Burnham stated.
At the Remaking the State conference in London on Wednesday, Jones remarked that Burnham had "rightly set out" how the "overcentralisation of power and bureaucracy in Westminster can stifle growth, decision-making and opportunity."
"I just say to Whitehall with the direction the political winds are blowing, I think this is a clear warning," Jones added.
"Devolution must mean devolution, not duplication."
Burnham's 'No 10 North' and Government Reform
Burnham's plan includes working some days in Manchester as prime minister, with his proposed 'No 10 North' office aimed at rebalancing power across Britain. This initiative would focus on key areas such as essential utilities, reindustrialisation, and regeneration.
Jones, who has overseen structural reforms within government machinery as chief secretary to the prime minister, announced in January a plan to "rewire Whitehall." This plan includes reducing bureaucratic obstacles and establishing taskforces to expedite policy priorities.
Jones has frequently criticized government inefficiencies and reiterated this stance at the Remaking the State conference, noting that reform efforts can both distract from addressing everyday public issues and present opportunities for improvement.
"We either take this opportunity to remake the state and show the public we can get the job done, or we risk handing it to the populists who just want to tear it all down and leave people to fend for themselves," Jones said.
Criticism of Centralizing Tendencies
Despite Jones's focus on delivery teams, his approach has faced criticism for being "heavily centralising." An article co-authored by Patrick Diamond, a former head of policy planning at No 10 Downing Street, argues that such methods "regard delivery as the transmission of control from the centre to the front line, rather than building capacity in the institutions, localities and services that have to sustain improvement once the attention of the centre has moved on."
Burnham has not yet detailed how his vision for "the biggest rebalancing of power our country has ever seen" would integrate with Jones's reformed Whitehall structure.
