Andy Burnham used his first speech in the House of Commons as prime minister to outline his assessment of the challenges facing the United Kingdom, identifying deindustrialisation, the privatisation wave of the 1980s, and Brexit as key factors behind the country’s economic and social difficulties. Speaking after a decade away from frontline politics, Burnham described a “failed economic model” that had left many communities without agency or growth, and pledged to reverse this through public ownership, devolution, and targeted support for businesses and households.

Burnham criticised past policies for centralising political power while privatising economic assets and hollowing out local councils, which he said weakened the ability of communities to address their own problems. He stated that Brexit had exacerbated these issues, contributing to a prolonged period of low growth and stalled regional regeneration. “Unless we are blunt about what went wrong, we won’t turn things around,” he said.

At the centre of the new government’s approach will be efforts to bring public services and utilities back under state control. Highlighting the water industry as an example, Burnham described it as a “leaking monument” to private-sector management and argued that true economic growth depends on communities regaining ownership and control over local resources.

Addressing cost-of-living pressures, Burnham noted that life had become “too expensive and too hard for too many” and emphasised early actions taken by his administration. These included cutting VAT on electricity bills, capping bus fares at £2 from next year, and reducing business rates for pubs and live music venues. He indicated further measures on energy costs could follow but underscored the government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility.

On defence, Burnham reaffirmed that national security remains a top priority, linking the UK’s safety to supporting Ukraine. Responding to questions about meeting NATO’s defence spending targets, he pointed to Chancellor John Healey’s experience and dedication, saying the upcoming spending review would set out plans to uphold international commitments.

Burnham also addressed welfare and education, expressing concern over the number of young adults on benefits and advocating for improved vocational opportunities and mental health support for youths.

Devolution featured prominently in the speech, with Burnham announcing plans to extend deals across England’s regions, including areas without elected mayors. He highlighted No 10 North in Manchester as a hub designed to facilitate faster, joined-up government decision-making and to reallocate civil service resources to regional and local levels, aiming to reverse the impacts of austerity.

On immigration, Burnham disputed claims from Conservative figures that his administration had neglected efforts to control small boat crossings in the English Channel. He cited a near halving of arrivals compared to last year and indicated continued collaboration with France, notably praising President Macron’s cooperation in reducing crossings.

Returning to justice issues, Burnham defended his policy to release more than 2,000 prisoners serving indefinite sentences under the Imprisonment for Public Protection regime by 2029, arguing the move addresses an overdue problem and is supported by public opinion. Critics from the Conservative Party contested the decision, warning of risks associated with early releases.

Burnham also expressed openness to political reform, including a possible overhaul of the voting system, and indicated he would seek measures to restore public trust in politics by tackling issues such as foreign political donations.

Finally, he committed to legislative action on leasehold reform, promising a Commonhold and Leasehold Bill within the parliamentary session to allow homeowners to shift from leasehold to commonhold arrangements, targeting systemic unfairness contributing to the cost-of-living crisis.

Overall, Burnham’s speech laid out an agenda focused on reversing past economic and political centralisation, promoting greater regional empowerment, and addressing social and economic inequalities through renewed public intervention and reform.