Can Andy Burnham succeed where Keir Starmer failed? | Political Currency

Does Burnham actually have a plan to grow the economy? Will a Number 10 in Manchester transform Britain or create more problems? And what should Britain's next Prime Minister learn from 250 years of America? Andy Burnham has delivered his first major speech as prime minister-in-waiting but does it provide answers to the biggest questions facing Britain? Ed Balls and George Osborne analyse Burnham's vision for government and ask whether it offers a genuine theory for economic growth or simply repackages ideas we've heard before. While they welcome his focus on devolution, they argue he'll quickly run into the same problems that frustrated Keir Starmer unless he gets three things right from day one: growth, communication and delivery. The pair also debate Burnham's headline proposal for a Number 10 North in Manchester. Is it a bold attempt to reshape the British state or a distraction that risks creating conflict between Downing Street and the Treasury? And with major challenges already landing on the incoming prime minister's desk, from defence spending to immigration, Ed and George explain the priorities they believe Burnham must tackle in his first two weeks in office. Finally, as America celebrates its 250th birthday, they reflect on the Founding Fathers, the enduring strength of the US, and what the UK-US relationship should look like under a Burnham premiership. #EdBalls #GeorgeOsborne #AndyBurnham #PoliticalCurrency #No10North #america250 Political Currency is the award-winning podcast where former political rivals Ed Balls and George Osborne draw on their experience at the heart of government to explain the politics, economics and personalities shaping Britain and the world today. New episodes every Thursday. Bonus Ex Ministers' Questions (EMQs) every Monday. Got a question for Ed and George? Send your messages or voice notes to: [email protected] Ad-free and early access: 💼 To get episodes early and ad-free become a Political Currency Gold member or for even more perks, including our weekly newsletter, bonus content and live events, join our Kitchen Cabinet today:   / politicalcurrency   Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connect with us on socials: ▶️ YouTube:    / @polcurrency   📸 Instagram:   / polcurrency   🐦 X: https://x.com/polcurrency 🎵 TikTok:   / polcurrency   🔗 Patreon:   / politicalcurrency   🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts