From London to local: How Andy Burnham’s ‘Manchesterism’ could transfer power away from Westminster’s corridors

4 min readUpdated: Jul 31, 2026 08:36 PM IST Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a visit to a family center in Sheffield, England, Friday, July 31 (AP Photo)Before he formally assumed the office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom last week, Andy Burnham had in a June 29 speech referred to the concept of “Manchesterism” as an important guiding needle in terms of political philosophy. This was a reiteration of what he said earlier in February and March this year, detailing the concept as business-friendly socialism and a model of regional devolution that leads to growth.So, what does Manchesterism entail? We explain. Tragic roots Conceived in the 19th century, Manchesterism was a school of thought which championed free trade and argued that wealth is best created by individ