Andy Burnham’s plan for a “No 10 North” based in Manchester risks creating a new power bubble and overlooking left-behind communities, Sir Ed Davey has said.
On a visit to Torbay in Devon, the Liberal Democrat leader will say the prime minister-in-waiting’s devolution proposals could push the Government “even further away” from areas like those in the South West.
In a fresh attack on Sir Keir Starmer’s likely successor, Sir Ed will dub the former metro mayor “Avanti Andy” and tell him “there is a Britain that lies beyond the tracks connecting Euston and Manchester Piccadilly”.
Mr Burnham, who looks set to enter Downing Street as soon as July 20, used a speech last week to pledge to “rewire” the British state with greater decision-making handed to local leaders.
His flagship proposal was the creation of an outpost of 10 Downing Street based in Manchester, which he said would serve as the “nerve centre” through which to deliver priorities including reindustrialisation and regeneration.
Ahead of his visit, Sir Ed said: “London and Manchester are brilliant cities and engines of innovation for our country, but Avanti Andy is heading for signal failure if he doesn’t rapidly realise there is a Britain that lies beyond the tracks connecting Euston and Manchester Piccadilly.
“From the Devon coast to Swansea’s streets and Shetland’s shores, people are utterly fed up with being overlooked.
“Andy Burnham has a very short window to turn this Government around, end the chaos and build trust with communities the whole length and breadth of the UK.
“From restoring axed rural bus services to saving our high streets from terminal decay, Liberal Democrats will be holding Avanti Andy to account on putting real power back into the hands of local communities.”
Mr Burnham is almost guaranteed to be the next prime minister of the United Kingdom after 322 Labour MPs nominated him to take over from Sir Keir Starmer.
The total means that there are only 81 Labour MPs left who could nominate another contender, the minimum needed to get on to the ballot.
But convention dictates that the outgoing leader does not nominate a candidate, meaning in reality there are no longer enough undeclared MPs to back an alternative to Mr Burnham.
The former Greater Manchester mayor secured the nominations – amounting to 80% of the parliamentary party – by 5pm on Thursday, the first day MPs could formally back a leadership candidate.
Even before nominations opened, Mr Burnham seemed almost certain to enjoy a coronation as Labour leader as the only declared candidate in the race to succeed Sir Keir.
But the size of his support in the parliamentary party means even a late challenger now has virtually no hope of securing the required nominations.
Mr Burnham also signalled a tougher Labour policy on Israel in support of Gaza.
He issued a video on social media apologising for the party’s response on Gaza, stating: “We were not good enough.”
This intervention is significant, as Gaza and Israel have been touchstone issues within Labour, causing major concern for Keir Starmer’s government.
Mr Burnham apologised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s military action in Gaza, admitting the Labour Party “didn’t get it right”.
