Andy Burnham, the new Makerfield MP, has announced his intention to draw upon European policies and frameworks to shape his governance model for Britain. In his first speech since Keir Starmer's resignation as Prime Minister, Burnham stated he would incorporate Finland’s housing policy and Germany’s constitution into his plans.
Burnham unveiled proposals to model Britain’s council housing policy on Finland’s ‘Housing First philosophy’. This approach involves providing council homes to homeless individuals immediately as they need them, thereby eliminating the requirement for temporary accommodation. Tenants under this system have a contract, pay rent, and are eligible for housing benefits, while also receiving support to regain stability. Finland has reported a significant decrease in homelessness since implementing this policy, with approximately 80 percent of Housing First tenants remaining housed long-term.
Inspired by this success, Burnham pledged to initiate the ‘biggest council house building programme since the post-war period’ to address homelessness. He articulated this as a move toward a more preventative and productive state, adopting a national Housing First philosophy.
Further, Burnham detailed plans to establish a ‘No 10 North’ hub in Manchester, intended to serve as a central point for a restructured Britain. This northern hub would aim to achieve parity in living conditions across the UK by emulating aspects of the German constitution. Burnham described No 10 North as the mechanism for redistributing power and resources throughout the UK and ensuring equivalent living conditions in all regions, drawing parallels with Germany's Basic Law.
The German Basic Law, adopted in 1949, includes provisions designed to ensure uniform living conditions across the federal territory through the distribution of shared tax revenues between federal and state governments. Additionally, specific articles enable the federal government to enact legislation that can supersede individual state laws to guarantee equivalent living standards nationwide.
Burnham also commented on the political landscape, criticizing the 'ten years of political turbulence since Brexit' that Britain has experienced. While he had previously expressed hope for rejoining the European Union, he has since shifted his stance, emphasizing that Brexit has been damaging and that reopening those arguments would be counterproductive.
Maya Singer Hobbs, a senior research fellow at the left-wing think tank IPPR, noted that Burnham's prioritization of homelessness is a positive signal, given the significant barriers of political will and housing availability in addressing the issue in the UK.