‘A new address isn’t enough, Britain needs a new way of doing politics’

Andy Burnham wants No. 10 North to become the nerve centre of a rewired Britain. He’s right that the Westminster system is broken and that power should move closer to the people it affects. But if Britain is to be truly rewired, he cannot rely on geography alone. He must address the corrupting influence of money in politics.

Burnham is correct that for too long, decisions have been made in Westminster by people too far removed from the communities they serve. Giving towns, cities and regions greater control over transport, housing, skills and public services can help rebuild opportunity, strengthen local leadership and restore faith that politics can improve people’s lives.

His experience in Greater Manchester has shown what can happen when local leaders are trusted with more responsibility and communities have greater control over the decisions that affect them.

READ MORE: From Municipal Socialism to Manchesterism

His speech last week, coupled with his decision to establish No. 10 North as the nerve centre of a rewired Britain under Caroline Simpson, one of the architects of Greater Manchester’s success, shows he is serious about turning that philosophy into a programme for government.

But if Britain is to be truly rewired, and power brought closer to ordinary people, he needs a circuit breaker when it comes to the flow of money into politics. Because power in Britain isn’t only concentrated in Whitehall. It’s also concentrated among the mega-rich.

A small number of wealthy donors continue to bankroll political parties with multi-million-pound donations. Money should not be allowed to buy access and influence. If the rules don’t change, every record donation will continue to undermine trust in politics and risk overshadowing a Burnham government before it has even properly begun. He needs the public behind him, not wondering who really holds the power.

The encouraging thing is that Burnham has already recognised this.

His support for a cap on political donations is one of the defining commitments of his leadership campaign. Delivering it would be one of the clearest demonstrations that his promise to do politics differently is about changing how power works, not simply where it sits.

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The Representation of the People Bill, which returns to the House of Commons on 14th July, provides the perfect legislative vehicle for swift action.  Currently the Bill does not go nearly far enough.  The Government’s proposals of a cap on foreign donations and a moratorium on crypto donations will not do the job.  The mega rich are world champions at shifting money around the world and crypto can be effortlessly turned into cash.  Billionaire donors like Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo have shrugged off these proposed reforms with a chuckle, a change of registered address, and a commitment to pump ever more money into upending our politics.  A hard and low cap on all donations is the only solution.

The good news for Burnham is that 92% of the public support such a cap. Few issues command that level of agreement across political divides.  So here is a precious opportunity for a high impact, early, and wildly popular policy for Prime Minister Burnham.

A hard and low cap on political donations, tougher safeguards against corruption, and a clean out of the House of Lords would complete a first phase for Burnham’s vision of a different way of governing.  All of them could be delivered via legislation already announced in last month’s King’s Speech.

Burnham’s devolution agenda has the potential to reshape Britain. But if No. 10 North is to become the nerve centre of a rewired Britain, it needs more than a new location.

Every builder knows the most important part of a new house is its foundations.

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If No. 10 North is built on the same old political rules that have concentrated power and eroded trust for decades, Britain will end up with the same old politics under a different roof.

Real democratic reform should be the foundation stone and would show that Burnham is building more than a new office. He is truly building a new way of governing.

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