Labour ministers sharpen devolution pitch as Andy Burnham weighs cabinet roles

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Highlights

Labour ministers publicly back devolution from London to regions as Andy Burnham postpones cabinet appointments and pushes for historic power rebalancing.
Angela Rayner and Steve Reed promote transferring powers over transport, housing, and growth, with support for further devolution of income tax and business rates revenue.
Cabinet contenders’ support for devolution becomes a key policy and political test, reflecting heightened competition for influence with Burnham and within Labour leadership.

Cabinet contenders align with Burnham agenda

As reported by the Financial Times, several Labour figures are publicly stressing their support for devolving power from London to the regions as Burnham delays naming any ministerial appointments. The maneuvering comes as senior MPs seek to position themselves close to a leader who is arguing for the biggest rebalancing of power in UK history.

Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, says some ministers have long supported devolution, but others have only recently begun presenting themselves as willing to surrender powers held by their departments. He says he hopes these newer converts would show real commitment if they remain in government.

Darren Jones says Burnham has rightly argued that over-centralisation in Westminster can hold back growth, decision-making and opportunity. Rachel Reeves has also highlighted her changes to Treasury spending rules to encourage regional development, while James Murray says government should focus on giving more power to local areas where healthcare is delivered.

Angela Rayner has used a speech to argue that her work in government laid the groundwork for transferring more powers to local areas, including over transport, housing and growth. Steve Reed, her successor in local government, also praises devolution and tells the FT that Burnham wants to move faster, adding that he supports going further on devolving revenue from income tax and business rates.

Power shift debate shapes Labour positioning

Will Jennings, professor of political science at the University of Southampton, says the renewed focus is a striking revival of interest in devolution, with many in Westminster and the think-tank world suddenly remembering that place matters. The issue is becoming both a policy test and a political signal for ministers worried about demotion or exclusion from Burnham's inner circle.

Allies of Wes Streeting are also seeking to attract Burnham's attention, while supporters of Murray point to the recent end of a doctors' dispute as evidence of his effectiveness in office. Lucy Rigby, now chief secretary to the Treasury, publicly praises Burnham's recent speech and particularly its emphasis on regional growth.

Some efforts to court Burnham have exposed earlier criticism. Home Office minister Jake Richards calls Burnham's politics exciting on the BBC, before being confronted with a 2016 social media post attacking him; Richards responds that both he and Burnham have changed. Burnham himself remains outwardly relaxed about the lobbying, saying people are entitled to put their case.

In our earlier coverage of Andy Burnham’s devolution plans, we explained how his team expected ministers to work more regularly from regional bases as part of a broader effort to shift decision-making out of London. The piece highlighted the Darlington Economic Campus as a test case for that approach, noting that limited ministerial time there has fueled questions about how serious the commitment to regional outposts really is.

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