Andy Burnham’s pledge to deliver the biggest shift of power away from Whitehall in modern history has won early backing from London’s business community, with leaders arguing the capital is just as hobbled by centralised policymaking as the regions it is so often accused of overshadowing.
Responding to the Greater Manchester mayor’s speech, which set out a vision for a “No 10 in the North” and a sweeping transfer of decision-making to local leaders, John Dickie, chief executive of BusinessLDN, said the direction of travel was exactly what the economy needed.
“Andy Burnham is right to put greater devolution at the heart of his agenda,” Dickie said. “Giving regions the powers they need to attract investment, upskill communities and deliver infrastructure is key to getting the economy moving again.”
The intervention is notable because BusinessLDN, the business membership group formerly known as London First, represents firms in a city frequently cast as the chief beneficiary of Westminster largesse. Dickie was quick to challenge that framing, arguing that proximity to Whitehall has done the capital few favours.
“It’s good to hear him backing London as the world’s greatest capital and setting out plans to devolve further powers to the city,” he said. “Contrary to the perception, proximity to Whitehall has not automatically worked in the capital’s favour and London is just as constrained by one-size-fits-all policymaking as other parts of the country.”
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