Andy Burnham says UK's lack of written constitution 'disempowers' Britons
Britain needs a written constitution in order for things to be run differently, Andy Burnham has suggested.
The idea is not new from the Prime Minister: he originally suggested a constitution be the way forward in a 2024 book, Head North: A Rallying Cry for a More Equal Britain, which he co-authored with Liverpool City Region metro mayor Steve Rotheram.
Speaking this week as he revealed plans for increased devolution, Mr Burnham said the proposals increased the case for a formal constitution because they would change Britain.
He said: “In the end, I think it does start to point towards a new constitutional settlement, particularly with what Steve and I were writing about with that commitment to equivalent living standards.
“I said in the speech I gave in Manchester a couple of weeks ago about good growth in every postcode. It’s not just a soundbite. I actually mean that.
“We need to have a country where everyone, in the end, can live a comparable life. That should be what we’re working towards.”
The former mayor of Greater Manchester said he thought that approach should be the “cornerstone” of a written constitution.
He added: “I think there is a case for a new clear set of principles about how this country should be run and things that should be minimum basics in all parts of the country, related to essentials and connectivity.
“It’s wrong that people are left arguing for things that are just fundamental, and they’re given in other parts of the country, and the lack of a constitution disempowers places in that situation.
“What’s coming through is we’re starting to say that everywhere will have the right to be a strategic authority, everywhere will have the right to retain more of their income tax, business rates.
“That does start to take you into the realms of a very different approach to running the country.”
Unlike many countries, the UK does not have this kind of formal written political document but has a constitution established through history by common law, statutes and conventions.
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His calls for a constitution come as the new PM has warned that Britain “cannot ignore” drilling in the North Sea.
The comments from the Prime Minister come after Donald Trump, responding to a question from GB News, said Mr Burnham had promised him he would "open up North Sea oil".
"If he does that, you're going to be a wealthy country if he does it reasonably," the President said on Wednesday.
When asked about his conversation with Mr Trump, the Prime Minister said: "I indicated in the phone call that I would take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea, and that is my intention.
"There is a resource there. When people are struggling, we can't ignore that."
The Shadow Chancellor, Sir Mel Stride, has now urged the Prime Minister to "get Britain drilling!"
Under the Labour manifesto, new North Sea drilling licences cannot be issued, but the oil field Rosebank and gas field Jackdaw received approval under the previous Conservative government before facing legal challenges.
Sir Mel said the Labour leader should approve licences for both North Sea sites imminently.
He told the Daily Mail: "If Burnham were really serious about tackling the cost of living and getting energy bills down, he would immediately approve the Jackdaw and Rosebank sites and end the ban on new oil and gas licences.”
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