Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has urged the next government to “rewire” England by devolving power and money to town halls as she made her pitch to return as housing secretary.
In a speech at the London School of Economics, Rayner set out a vision for radical devolution that closely mirrored the agenda being championed by Makerfield MP Andy Burnham.
She told the audience that if councils cannot fix potholes, they have no hope of delivering the major regeneration schemes needed to transform a town’s high street.
Shorts
The line was a near-verbatim echo of one used by Burnham in his speech in Manchester on Monday, when he also promised to “rewire” Britain and devolve power to the regions.
