Key facts
- Andy Burnham will assume the role of U.K. prime minister on July 20.
- Burnham plans to reform the civil service by centralizing some powers and decentralizing others to regional bases.
- A 'No. 10 North' office in Manchester is planned to support regional regeneration.
- Burnham's reforms aim to counter the populist appeal of Nigel Farage and Reform UK.
- Critics warn of potential conflicts between ministers and the civil service, and among civil servants themselves.
Andy Burnham is set to become the U.K. prime minister on July 20 and plans to implement significant reforms within the civil service, aiming to centralize power in his office and decentralize state functions to regional bases outside London. This initiative includes establishing a 'No. 10 North' in Manchester, intended to bolster regional regeneration and reform utilities.
Burnham's overhaul of Whitehall is also framed as a strategy to counter the populist appeal of Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party, which rails against the perceived failings of the British government machine. Burnham's approach, however, differs from Farage's more drastic proposals, such as sacking a large number of civil servants.
Sources indicate that Burnham's plans could lead to significant internal conflict, with warnings of turf wars between ministers and civil servants, and among civil servants themselves. His allies, like Steve Rotheram, the mayor of Liverpool City Region, emphasize that the frustration with Whitehall's perceived slowness and power hoarding is genuine and long-standing, citing historical issues like the Hillsborough disaster cover-up and the handling of infected blood products.
While Burnham has not used the term 'blob' to describe the civil service, he has publicly expressed concerns about the concentration of power among a small group of unelected officials in Whitehall. Some civil servants, however, are already aligned with the idea of decentralization, evidenced by initiatives like the 'economic campus' in Darlington, which some believe is fostering a shift in perspective among officials.
Burnham's proposed reforms include requiring central government workers to spend time in local government to foster a better understanding of regional needs. Senior figures like Beth Russell and Tom Riordan, based outside London, are seen as examples of officials who think differently. Alex Thomas, from the Institute for Government, acknowledges the U.K.'s centralized nature and the system's limitations in driving desired change, suggesting politicians also share blame.