Andy Burnham has promised a 'new era of possibility' as he set out his plans for a ten-year mission to raise living standards in his first speech since he effectively became PM in waiting14:15, 29 Jun 2026Andy Burnham today promised a "new era of possibility" in his first speech since he effectively became PM-in-waiting.‌The ex-Greater Manchester mayor - who is expected to take over in No10 as soon as July 20 - vowed to create a No10 North to redistribute power across the country. He said under his leadership he would take "power out of the centre" and put it "in the hands of the people and places who can use it best".‌In a speech at People's History Museum in Manchester, Mr Burnham - wearing his trademark T-shirt - set out a ten-year mission to raise living standards, pledging the biggest council programme since the post-war period and greater public control of utilities like water, housing, energy and transport.‌In a message of hopes to struggling families, he said: "Imagine if we could bring down the cost of energy for people and businesses, and the good things that would come from that. Imagine good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart. I'll say it again: Imagine good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart. Well, imagine no more. Let's make it happen." The Mirror takes a look at some of the key points from his speech.1. No10 NorthAndy Burnham announced a No10 North will be based in Manchester to "redistribute power and resources across the UK".‌Mr Burnham - who has long championed devolution of power - said the northern branch of the Prime Minister's office will be the "nerve centre of a rewired Britain".He said: "I am going to give Britain the circuit breaker it needs by building a more collaborative politics in Westminster, by taking power out of the centre and putting it in the hands of the people and places who can use it best. And in so doing, creating a new sense of agency, possibility and hope flowing around the country. We will make politics work for you and the place where you live."Mr Burnham continued: "No10 North will be the nerve centre of a rewired Britain. It will be the conduit through which we redistribute power and resources across the UK. It will co-ordinate all parts of government at national and local level to agree a long term economic strategy and help all places set new growth ambitions. It will be given a mission to strive for equivalent living conditions in all parts of Britain, borrowing from the German Basic Law."‌2. Council housingThe ex-Greater Manchester Mayor promised the biggest council programme since the post-war period.The PM-in-waiting said Britain was in a "housing trap", warning that the housing crisis was having a "ruinous impact" on the country's public finances.‌He said: "The country is in a housing trap. We are forced to chase rents in the private rented sector through the benefits system. When governments try to control these costs by freezing local housing allowance, it makes families homeless and places unfunded pressures on councils when they have to pay for temporary accommodation."Britain's housing crisis is having a ruinous impact on its public finances, so working with local areas, number ten North will oversee the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period."He added: "Everything starts with a good home and this country finally has to put that at the top of its priority list."‌3. Public control of utilitiesThe ex-Manchester mayor said his government would set out ten-year plans to bring down the cost of essentials.No10 North will support the regions in reforming essential utilities, with greater public control of vital services.He continued: "On utilities, we will ensure all parts of the UK are able to take greater public control of essential services like water, housing, energy and transport. Learning from the model that has transformed our bus networks here in Greater Manchester. We will set out ten-year plans to bring down the cost of these essentials to individuals, families and businesses."‌Mr Burnham has often pointed to the Bee Network as an example of a successful publicly-owned transport system. Under his mayoral leadership, the city brought buses back under local control for the first time in 40 years to deliver a more affordable, reliable, and efficient network for residents.It an example of Manchesterism, which Mr Burnham referred during his speech. Manchesterism is an economic and political model that rejects "trickle-down economics" from Whitehall and prioritises more local control over communities.‌4. Cut welfare billMr Burnham said he will "reduce the welfare bill in a way that is fair and lasting" by giving mayors more power over employment support.The former Cabinet minister - who served as Health Secretary in Gordon Brown's government -said: "We will answer the call from the mayors, and particularly the mayor of the North East, for devolution of employment support and changing the way we support and sustain people in employment, working much more through our community and voluntary sector at a grassroots level, working with organisations people trust to help them rather than going to places that they fear."This is the difference that the mayors can make. And in doing that, we will reduce the welfare bill in a way that is fair and lasting and helps people move forward."‌Mr Burnham also said he takes Alan Milburn's recent youth unemployment review "very seriously". He said academic and technical education routes need to be seen on an equal basis and that there must be less emphasis on going to university. "We need a complete rethink of how we support the next generation to succeed and it has to start with the education system," he said.5. Business ratesMr Burnham vowed to revive the country's struggling high streets - which he said should be "the new symbol of Britain's renaissance".He said he will reform business rates to support pubs and local businesses. And he said his council housing drive would help to bring "higher density residential development to our towns" and increase footfall in city centres.‌"No10 North will be able to support all places to turn around those towns, their high streets and the local centres, increasing footfall on the high street and protecting more green spaces from development," he said."To reinforce that, we will reform business rates to support pubs and high street businesses - businesses that bring social benefits to communities. And let me finish by saying this rather than being a marker of decline, shouldn't we make our high streets the new symbol of Britain's renaissance?‌6. Let MPs be authenticMr Burnham said he wants MPs to be able to be "authentic representatives" of their constituencies and not fear being told off if they don't follow the party line.The MP for Makerfield said Westminster is "a more fragmented, disjointed place" since he left in 2017. He said he doesn't want people to "fear" the whip system - a disciplinary system that ensures MPs don't rebel against their party leaders. Keir Starmer suspended the Labour whip from different MPs at various times when they rebelled against the Government.Mr Burnham said: "I will work hard to change that culture, leading from the front and showing how things can be different, letting MPs be authentic representatives and not using the whip system to create fear or close down debate....‌"While the political direction I set is not up for negotiation, I will build an inclusive team at the very highest level so that all parts of the party and the country can see themselves reflected and represented in it."He said he wants to build a "more collaborative approach" with other political parties to create a "greater sense of unity in Parliament". He added that he wants to tackle the "adversarial" culture across Whitehall, where "too much time is wasted with departmental silos battling each other and battling the Treasury rather than getting things done".7. Tax commitmentMr Burnham has said his plans will be "consistent with the 2024 manifesto" - which vows not to increase National Insurance, the basic, higher, or additional rates of Income Tax, or VAT.Article continues belowThe ex-Manchester mayor also said he will keep to Rachel Reeves's fiscal rules, which bar the Government from borrowing for day-to-day spending.As he set out his ten-year mission, he said: "All of it backed by the stability that comes from sound public finances, as I said before, and the discipline of our current fiscal rules. I hope people can begin to feel, hopefully you can, some of the excitement that comes with the change that I'm setting out today."It promises a new era of possibility for Britain, possibility in places that haven't felt it for a very long time. And I know because I heard that from people on doorsteps in the by-election. But let's give them that feeling, that ability to hope, to aspire to better. The change will be the biggest change in our lifetimes to the way the country is run, and it is consistent with the 2024 manifesto."