Summary
Overview
In this episode of Page 94, Andrew Hunter-Murray joins Ian Hislop, Helen Lewis, and Richard Brooks to discuss Andy Burnham's vision for Britain as he positions himself for a potential Prime Minister run. The panel examines his plans for regional devolution and reindustrialization through the lens of past failures, particularly in Teesside. They also debate the air conditioning culture war, climate policy, and dissect a revealing new book about Trump's second term that shows how he's operating an increasingly imperial presidency with minimal constraints.
Andy Burnham's Prime Ministerial Pitch and Regional Devolution
Andy Burnham delivered a major speech outlining his vision for Britain, emphasizing regional devolution and reindustrialization. The panel notes his diagnosis of problems like over-centralization and outsourcing is sound, but questions whether adequate scrutiny mechanisms exist to prevent the kind of wasteful spending that has plagued other regional initiatives. Richard Brooks raises concerns about the weakened state of local democracy, auditing, and journalism that would normally hold regional leaders accountable.
- Burnham's speech was notably breezy and summery, a refreshing contrast to Keir Starmer's delivery style
- The principle of regional devolution is sound, but local democracy, auditing mechanisms, and local media have all been severely weakened
- Regional mayors now have significant power but lack the scrutiny that would catch wasteful or fraudulent spending
- Without proper oversight mechanisms, giving regions money and power could lead to poor outcomes
" We rarely make the calls that lose you friends, crater your poll ratings and keep you awake wondering whether history will forgive you. "
The Teesside Warning: When Regional Power Goes Wrong
The panel examines Ben Houchen's Teesside as a cautionary tale of what can happen when regional mayors have power without adequate oversight. Richard Brooks details how deals to regenerate former steelworks cost taxpayers hundreds of millions while local businessmen bought land for a pound per acre and now stand to make massive profits. The discussion highlights this as directly relevant to Burnham's steel and reindustrialization plans.
- Ben Houchen gave local businessmen deals to buy remediated land for one pound per acre after taxpayers paid for cleanup
- A data center company is now paying those businessmen £222 million for the land, plus hundreds of millions more for grid connections
- The businessmen bought a wire network with 20 substations for about 10 quid and are now cashing in
- Burnham's mention of steel makes Teesside directly relevant as an example of how these initiatives can go wrong
" Andy Burnham made him rich and he can do that to the rest of us. "
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