Story perspectives

Burnham Announces Public Great British Grid for Competition

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 9:58 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a publicly owned electricity grid, Great British Grid, to compete with private operators.
Great British Grid will be funded from the existing GB Energy budget, the public green investment firm.
Chancellor John Healey launched a £100 million Local Apprenticeship Service run by mayors to match youth with employers.
Burnham said the next UK general election will not be held before 2029, dismissing snap-election calls.

History

Historical Context

The post-war Labour government passed the Electricity Act 1947, receiving royal assent on 13 August 1947, to nationalise electricity and create the British Electricity Authority and 14 area boards, vesting 505 local undertakings on 1 April 1948. Decades later, proposals for a publicly owned Great British Grid echo that centralised model, aiming to reshape UK energy markets.

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Story summary

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a publicly owned electricity grid, Great British Grid, to compete with private operators.
Great British Grid will be funded from the existing GB Energy budget, the public green investment firm.
Chancellor John Healey launched a £100 million Local Apprenticeship Service run by mayors to match youth with employers.
Burnham said the next UK general election will not be held before 2029, dismissing snap-election calls.

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