Andy Burnham is set to deliver his first major policy speech since launching his bid to become the UK's next prime minister, with devolution expected to sit at the heart of his plans for government.
Speaking in Manchester, Burnham will unveil proposals for a new body called "No 10 North", which he says will help drive economic growth across every nation and region of the UK. The body would aim to move more decision-making away from Westminster and hand greater powers to regions and local communities.
Burnham is expected to describe the plan as the "circuit-breaker" Britain needs, arguing that giving more power to local leaders will help restore trust in politics and deliver prosperity in every postcode.
He will also pledge a 10-year mission to raise living standards and set out plans to tackle youth unemployment as part of a wider programme to strengthen the economy.
If no other Labour MP enters the leadership contest, Burnham is expected to become prime minister on 20 July following Sir Keir Starmer's decision to step down.
Burnham has already indicated that he intends to stick to Chancellor Rachel Reeves' fiscal rules, which require day-to-day government spending to be funded through tax revenues rather than borrowing, while ensuring debt is falling as a share of national income by the end of this Parliament.
However, he faces pressure from some Labour MPs on the left to relax those rules and allow for higher public spending. He is also expected to decide whether Rachel Reeves remains in the Cabinet if he forms a government, with several senior Labour figures reportedly being considered for the role of chancellor.
Defence spending is also expected to be one of Burnham's first major challenges. Former Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin has urged him to commit to increasing defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, warning that the UK faces growing security threats.
Opposition parties have criticised Burnham ahead of the speech. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said the proposals focused too much on shifting power between politicians instead of tackling tax, welfare and defence. Reform UK dismissed the plans as "all talk, no action", while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey warned that Burnham would have only a short window to prove he could deliver real change.
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