Rayner offers support to Burnham's 'vision' to devolve power to communities

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Rayner offers support to Burnham's 'vision' to devolve power to communitiesImage source, PA MediaByJoshua Nevett, Political reporter and Richard Wheeler, Political reporterPublished1 July 2026, 15:12 BSTUpdated 30 minutes agoAngela Rayner has said the next prime minister must go further in giving power to communities, as she backed Andy Burnham's "vision" for devolution. The former Deputy Prime Minister suggested the Labour government under Sir Keir Starmer has "too often left the impression" that it was "defending the status quo rather than challenging it". In a speech on Wednesday, Rayner argued it is a "time for boldness" as Labour would not defeat the challenge from Nigel Farage's Reform UK "with caution".

Rayner's remarks came after senior minister Darren Jones said he liked the idea of "No 10 North" put forward by Burnham, who is the favourite to replace Sir Keir as prime minister. Burnham suggested the creation of new Downing Street team based in Manchester to help deliver his aims. Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, also urged Sir Keir's successor to "strengthen the centre" as well by creating a department for the prime minister in London.

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Burnham is widely expected to become the next prime minister later this month when the Labour leadership contest concludes, following Sir Keir's resignation last week. Launching his Labour leadership bid in a speech on Monday, Burnham said he wanted to redistribute power across the UK to "drive good growth in every postcode". Burnham's core pledge was to devolve power to local communities away from senior civil servants in Whitehall, which he said had "blocked" progress in Greater Manchester where he had been 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 said. Rayner highlighted her efforts in government to further devolve power to regions in England, but said there needs to be "much deeper cultural changes" in central government. Speaking at an event for the New Economics Foundation think tank, Rayner said "Whitehall empires hoard their own power" and "we must rewire England by devolving power and money to the country as a whole".

Rayner said she experienced "institutional resistance to fiscal devolution throughout" her time in office, adding it could be "overcome". She cited moves to give English regional mayors the power to charge tourists a tax for staying overnight in their areas. Rayner added the "devolution revolution" will only "reach its full potential if central government changes too, with No 10 driving it as a core mission".

Transport, children's social care and derelict buildings were raised by Rayner as areas in which mayors should be backed to deliver. In her concluding remarks, Rayner outlined her hopes for achieving a "fairer future" and said the work has started. She said: "The scale of the challenge demands we go further and faster.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.