[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-56376-en":3,"doc-seo-56376-105":29,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":91},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":13,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":27,"read_time":28},56376,1374391974585,"Genevieve","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c",8,"Research & Report","Nigel Farage Prediction: The Burnham Question","A leading article evaluates Andy Burnham’s political prospects and the implications of Nigel Farage calling a by-election. It argues Burnham is “lucky,” yet frames his approach to devolution and regional inequality as incomplete and sometimes misguided. Drawing on Britain’s post-war centralisation, it contrasts London’s advantages with uneven regional outcomes and reviews levelling up and devolution policy records. It concludes by urging Burnham to adopt effective local leadership models and secure sustainable, private-sector supported funding.","The Mancunian candidate Tali Fraser Help! I íve got four girlfriends Dear Mary  \n11  \n􀀞􀀝􀀜 2026 􀀛 £6.50  \n􀀚􀀚􀀚.􀀙􀀘􀀗􀀖􀀕􀀔􀀕􀀓􀀒 .􀀖􀀓􀀑 􀀛 􀀗􀀙􀀕. 1828  \nNigel s circus  \nTim Shipman on Farage’s next trick  \nCANADA C$ 12.95. EURO ZONE €9.95. SOUTH AFRICA ZAR 139.90.  \nSWITZERLAND CHF 10.90.  \nDOMINIC CUMMINGS  \nMY FARAGE PREDICTION  \nESTABLISHED 1828  \nThe Burnham question  \nA  \nndy Burnham is a lucky politician. And Nigel Farage has just given him another piece of surprising good for-  \ntune. The Reform leaderís decision to call aby-election so his voters can express their preference for him over a comedian in a dustbin is more than just a narcissistic farce: it is a blessing for Project Burnham. Just as attention should be focused on a man with neither a mandate nor a manifesto for running the nation, Westminsterís gaze is directed once more to the dreary beachfronts of Jaywick and Frinton. Burnhamís unscrutinised, unelected, unready administration moves closer to power while Reform achieves a feat hitherto thought impossible: becoming even more of a vehicle for the ego ofits leader.  \nThe one thing we do know about Burnham is his commitment to greater devolution across the United Kingdom. Cynics question whether the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, let alone Stormont or Sadiq Khanís London, are really models of inclusive growth and human flourishing. But while cynicism is understandable, Burnhamís desire to rebalance power and wealth within Britain is not ignoble. If he learns the right lessons from devolutionís successes and failures, he may yet achieve some welcome progress.  \nSince the first world war, Britain has become the most centralised nation in the free world, as the demands of the war and then state socialism meant a centuries-old tradition of robust local government was replaced with the sad presumption that the man in Whitehall knows best. Local authorities only raise around 5 per cent of tax revenue; in France, home of the heavyhanded central state, that figure is three times as high.  \nThe capitalís hoarding of power has led to stark regional inequality. High-value and knowledge-intensive sectors are concentrated around London; the decline of manufacturing and mining hurt the north, Midlands,  \nWales and Scotland as the tide of the Industrial Revolution receded. Britain is more economically divided than eastern and western Germany and northern and southern Italy. From life expectancy to public investment, the capital is the outlier, flattering and skewing national statistics.  \nSuccessive governments have attempted to rebalance the economy. Burnham himself benefited from the Metro Mayors established by George Osborneís ëNorthern Powerhouseí and Boris Johnsonís expansion of local transport powers.  \nIn 2022, the Johnson government published a ëlevelling upí white paper diagnosing the interconnected nature of the problems holding regions back and outlining steps to  \nIf Burnham learns the right lessons from devolution, he may yet achieve some welcome progress  \nstimulate private-sector growth across the country. The white paper set out 12 missions designed to reverse geographical inequalities by 2030, spreading opportunity beyond London, with long-term targets across living standards, R&D investment, transport and more. Investment commitments were combined with offering every part of England ëLondon-styleí powers.  \nThat agenda has not yet been fully implemented; it sits, ëoven-readyí, on the departmental shelf. But when Labour took office it broke from levelling up, performatively stripping the phrase from the housing department and scrapping the targets.  \nLabour promised a ëdevolution revolutioní and wide-ranging ambitions on investment. Yet a rigorous recent paper from Kingís College Londonís Strand Group has exposed how Keir Starmer comprehensively squandered the ëbest opportunity for tackling regional inequality in a generationí with a  \nlack of leadership, funding or imagination. Burnham at least promises a break from St","cbCaipDAVbyXcoIg","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaipDAVbyXcoIg","pdf",10618421,1,64,"English","en",105,"# Leading article\n## Politics and devolution\n## Regional inequality and policy record\n## Local leadership and future prospects","[{\"question\":\"Why is Nigel Farage’s by-election decision considered significant in the article?\",\"answer\":\"It is portrayed as a political move that redirects attention toward Burnham and forces voters to contrast him with a different kind of public figure, framed as relevant to Burnham’s fate and prospects.\"},{\"question\":\"What does the article say about Burnham’s commitment to devolution?\",\"answer\":\"It acknowledges his stated commitment to greater devolution, but argues his understanding and execution are likely flawed and that he risks misreading what drove success in his own region.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the article explain Britain’s regional inequality?\",\"answer\":\"It links inequality to post-war centralisation, where local government lost fiscal power and high-value sectors concentrated around London, leaving other regions disadvantaged in areas like manufacturing and 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is Nigel Farage’s by-election decision considered significant in the article?","Question",{"text":75,"@type":76},"It is portrayed as a political move that redirects attention toward Burnham and forces voters to contrast him with a different kind of public figure, framed as relevant to Burnham’s fate and prospects.","Answer",{"name":78,"@type":73,"acceptedAnswer":79},"What does the article say about Burnham’s commitment to devolution?",{"text":80,"@type":76},"It acknowledges his stated commitment to greater devolution, but argues his understanding and execution are likely flawed and that he risks misreading what drove success in his own region.",{"name":82,"@type":73,"acceptedAnswer":83},"How does the article explain Britain’s regional inequality?",{"text":84,"@type":76},"It links inequality to post-war centralisation, where local government lost fiscal power and high-value sectors concentrated around London, leaving other regions disadvantaged in areas like manufacturing and 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