Burnham rules out reform of Wales funding system

Burnham co-wrote a book with his Liverpool counterpart Steve Rotheram when he was mayor of Greater Manchester in 2024, which outlined how they would tackle inequality and overhaul the distribution of public money.

In it they wrote that a "new formula covering the whole of the UK and including the English regions as separate entities" was needed, and that funding "would be allocated to the regions and nations based on social factors and levels of need".

The book also compared the UK to a "rambling stately home" in which the power was only on in some rooms.

He likened the "main living room" where the lights worked well to Greater London, said that Scotland was the main bedroom where the "lights flicker" and that: "down end of the landing, there are two smaller bedrooms where the lights work but are much dimmer. I think you know where this is going – they are Wales and Northern Ireland".

The pair also proposed scrapping the Treasury's "Green Book" - the official UK government spending guidelines.

Critics argue that it disadvantages Wales and the English regions by channelling investment to the south east of England.

During his 2015 bid for the Labour leadership, Burnham said he had known Wales received an unfairly low share of UK spending when he had been a Treasury minister eight years earlier.

He told BBC Wales he had been unable to change government policy but "I believe Wales has been short-changed and as leader I would take steps to correct that".

Burnham, who has returned to the House of Commons after winning the Makerfield by-election last week, is so far the only contender to replace Sir Keir Starmer.

Starmer announced his resignation on Monday and Burnham could be prime minister as early as 17 July if no other challenger emerges.

The UK government's Wales Office minister, Bangor Aberconwy MP Claire Hughes, was asked by BBC Radio Wales Breakfast what a Burnham premiership would mean for Wales.

She said it was "early days" but there was "genuine excitement" about reports in the Financial Times that his plans include "relocating some of the Number 10" operation to Manchester.

But she said it was "up to Andy Burnham to set out his policy platform and his thoughts around devolution for Wales when, [and] if, he becomes prime minister".