Story perspectives

PM Andy Burnham Backs Written UK Constitution, Devolution Push

8/3/2026

Center

Burnham Backs Constitution

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced support for a written constitution for the United Kingdom on August 2, 2026.
Two weeks into his premiership, Burnham said devolution proposals would create a constitutional settlement guaranteeing basic standards for essentials and connectivity nationwide.
2024 book *Head North: A Rallying Cry For A More Equal Britain* with Steve Rotheram.
He noted the UK lacks a written constitution, relying on statutes, common law and treaties.

Left

Burnham Backs Constitution

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced support for a written constitution for the United Kingdom on 2 August 2026.
He framed the constitution as a means to curb entrenched inequality by moving power from Westminster to local authorities.
In 2024 book Head North, co-authored with mayor Steve Rotheram, Burnham promoted a written constitution.
Devolution lets English mayors keep a share of income tax by early 2028, shifting power.

Blindspot

Dr Hannah White, chief executive of the Institute for Government, warned that a fully codified UK constitution would need extensive reforms beyond devolution to cover all rules structuring the state.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

Decades of sectarian conflict led the British and Irish governments to issue the 1993 Downing Street Declaration, paving the way for the Good Friday Agreement signed on 10 April 1998 by the British and Irish governments and endorsed by SDLP’s John Hume and UUP’s David Trimble. The pact created a power-sharing assembly. In 2026, England’s First Minister Andy Burnham invoked that legacy while urging a UK-wide written constitution.

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Burnham Backs Constitution

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced support for a written constitution for the United Kingdom on August 2, 2026.
Two weeks into his premiership, Burnham said devolution proposals would create a constitutional settlement guaranteeing basic standards for essentials and connectivity nationwide.
2024 book *Head North: A Rallying Cry For A More Equal Britain* with Steve Rotheram.
He noted the UK lacks a written constitution, relying on statutes, common law and treaties.

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