Burnham vows growth, devolution and public ownership in first Commons statement

Andy Burnham used his first Commons statement as Prime Minister to outline a growth-led agenda built on devolution and public ownership. The speech framed Britain's stagnation as the result of centralisation, austerity and Brexit while signalling continuity on Ukraine.Image used for representational purposes onlyBritish Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday used his first statement to Parliament to promise a "clear, coherent and credible approach" to economic growth, saying his government would try to restore optimism after what he called a decade of turbulence. Speaking in the House of Commons as MPs returned after the summer recess, Burnham said Britain needed a "circuit-breaker" and set out a programme centred on growth, devolution and public ownership.Burnham, who took over at 10 Downing Street from Keir Starmer six weeks ago, said a tour of all parts of the United Kingdom had helped him form a "clear diagnosis of what has gone wrong" under Opposition Conservative policies. He also said his government would keep the previous Labour leadership's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while paying tribute to Starmer for a "lifetime of public service"."From the 1980s, this country took a series of wrong turns. Political power was centralised. Economic power was privatised. The country deindustrialised. Austerity followed, hollowing out councils and depriving them of the agency to act to reverse any of this," Burnham said.Referring to his remarks outside Downing Street six weeks ago, he said: "Britain needs a circuit-breaker after a decade of turbulence, negativity and divisive politics. This is what I have outlined today." Burnham added: "A clear, coherent and credible approach to growth that can unlock a feeling of positivity and possibility in every postcode in Britain." He said he wanted to "build a sense of optimism" and vowed to make the "next decade better than the last", concluding: "We can let Britain believe again. We can bring back hope." Burnham repeated his focus on devolution and said civil servants would be moved out of Whitehall and across the country under his No. 10 North base in his home city of Manchester. He also said the Labour government led by him would be "relentless" in pushing for more public ownership. "The government I lead will be relentless in giving people and places what they were promised 10 years ago, ownership and control, and from that control over their destiny comes change and growth," he said.The prime minister also blamed the Brexit vote in June 2016, which led to Britain's exit from the European Union economic bloc, for a decade of weak growth. "Brexit compounded the damage, ushering in a decade of low growth and stalled regeneration... Unless we are blunt about what went wrong, we won't turn things around," he said. Opening his statement, Burnham paid tribute to Starmer, after the former prime minister announced earlier that he was stepping away from frontline politics and resigning as MP for Holborn and St Pancras in London. Burnham also said the previous Labour leadership's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict was "one which I will not change, whatever the threats we face". "We do not seek escalation, but will instead stand firm in providing what help we can to enable Ukraine to defend itself," he said.In sum, Burnham used his first Commons statement as prime minister to present his plan for growth, devolution and greater public ownership, while blaming past Conservative policies and Brexit for Britain's economic problems and reaffirming support for Ukraine.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 1, 2026 21:36 IST