Michael Heseltine, a former British government minister, has called for an expansion of elected mayoralties across England to advance economic development combined with social improvement, a concept often referred to as “Manchesterism.” Heseltine’s remarks come amid growing attention on Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, whose recent speeches have emphasized inclusive growth benefiting every community. Burnham is widely expected to become the next prime minister.

Heseltine contrasted his own approach, which he terms “Liverpoolism,” shaped by his involvement in Liverpool’s recovery following the Toxteth riots of 1981, with Burnham’s Manchester-focused model. He highlighted the evolution of local governance reforms in England, tracing back to the 1969 Redcliffe-Maud report, which proposed consolidating the country’s numerous local authorities into roughly 60 unitary bodies to better reflect modern communications and administration needs. Although the plan was endorsed by Prime Minister Harold Wilson, it was not implemented due to political changes and resistance from Whitehall officials and some local MPs.

During his time as a junior minister under Peter Walker in the 1970s, Heseltine acknowledged encountering entrenched opposition within government to decentralizing power locally. He recalled that efforts to establish metropolitan councils in large cities were later reversed under political pressure after 1979. The 1981 riots, he said, underscored the absence of empowered local authorities capable of addressing social and economic challenges. In response, Heseltine led direct ministerial intervention to foster urban regeneration, including initiatives such as the sale of neglected council estates to finance redevelopment and the City Challenge program, which incentivized local authorities to partner with tenants and private investors for large-scale housing improvements.

Heseltine highlighted Manchester’s experience as illustrative of how local leadership can drive recovery following crises. He credited figures like Howard Bernstein, Manchester’s council chief executive, and council leader Richard Leese with maintaining critical governance structures that enabled a coordinated response to the 1996 IRA bombing, which devastated the city center. Partnerships with private sector leaders such as Lord O’Neill of Gatley and civil engineer Alan Cockshaw helped leverage investment and rebuild the area, catalyzing a wider regeneration effort.

Looking ahead, Heseltine urged Burnham to pursue legislation converting all two-tier county and district authorities into unified mayoralties with clear accountability and the ability to attract additional funding from private and third-sector partners. He noted that former Chancellor George Osborne had restructured government budgets to create competitive pots of funding accessible to mayors, a process he advocated expanding. Heseltine emphasized the importance of cross-party collaboration and suggested that incorporating figures like Greg Clark, a former minister recognized for his understanding of devolution, would strengthen efforts to empower local government and support sustained economic and social progress.