Andy Burnham’s plans to oversee the biggest ever transfer of power from central government to local leaders are a “clear warning” to Whitehall, a cabinet minister has said.
Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said at an event in London he backed the devolution proposals Burnham had set out earlier this week.
In a speech, Jones said “Westminster must trust local leaders to make the right decisions” and suggested government departments could “shrink” if Burnham becomes prime minister.
He said he liked Burnham’s idea of “No 10 North” but urged Sir Keir Starmer’s successor to “strengthen the centre” as well by creating a department for the prime minister in London.
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.
Speaking at the Remaking the State conference in London on Wednesday, Jones said Burnham had “rightly set out” how “overcentralisation of power and bureaucracy in Westminster can stifle growth, decision-making and opportunity”.
“I just say to Whitehall with the direction the political winds are blowing, I think this is a clear warning,” Jones said.
“Devolution must mean devolution, not duplication.”
