Burnham's Plan: Local Areas Get Power First, London Has to Argue to Keep It

Prime Minister Andy Burnham wants to flip how England is run. Instead of London holding most decision-making power, local areas would get it by default. Ministers would need to argue why any specific power should stay with the central government. His team says the 520,000-strong civil service would shrink as decisions move beyond the capital. The plan could reshape how England is governed — if enforced.