Can Burnham turn ‘Manchesterism’ into a practical offer for government?

M anchesterism is “the end of neoliberalism”. That was the claim made by Andy Burnham in his campaign launch video this week – a film which made an audacious offer not just to his byelection constituents in Makerfield, but how he intended to change national politics and the economy. But the 2026 doctrine of Manchesterism is very different to its 19th-century namesake, when it was a byword for free trade. Now in the hands of the mayor of Greater Manchester, it means the national rollout of what he has achieved in the city – essential assets brought into greater public control such as the bus network, a closer partnership between the state and business to spread the proceeds of wealth, and a huge expansion of devolution. However, the task of turning Manchesterism into a practical offer in government – potentially in a matter of weeks – is immense. It is a shoestring operation, with a considerable number of players vying for influence. There is a determination among those backing Burnham to be bold and authentic, but it runs alongside a deep fear about spooking an already jittery bond market and causing the cost of borrowing to soar, as well as anything that might risk handing the seat to Reform UK. Those constraints were evident in Burnham’s statement at the weekend that he will stick to Rachel Reeves’s fiscal rules – meaning any further expansion of public spending will have to be paid for with tax increases. …