Local politicians react as Burnham appointed prime minister
Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael said today could be a ‘positive moment for the whole country’ – if the new PM delivers on past commitments
SPEAKING in front of the famous No.10 Downing Street door earlier today (Monday), new prime minister Andy Burnham said he plans to ensure power is carried from Westminster to “every postcode in the land”.
The new Labour leader also vowed to create a new political and economic model in the UK, with a 10-year plan in the offing.
More immediately, Burnham – who was appointed as prime minister following the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer – said he will set out cost of living measures soon.
But what do Shetland’s political representatives think?
Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael said although Burnham is from a different political party, he hopes the new prime minister will be a success – “and not just because we have gone through half a dozen prime ministers in the last decade and could do with a little more stable and forward-thinking leadership”.
“When the political landscape north and south of the border is littered with politicians who are interested only in picking fights and burning everything down, you have to hope that there remains space for those who have a more constructive view of what politics can do for people,” he said.
“If Burnham can deliver on his past commitments on political reform and decentralisation then it could be a significant and positive moment for the whole country.
“The first test of his leadership, however, will be whether or not he can instil some renewed confidence in our economy and our public services. Voters’ patience is wearing thin so the quicker he can reset the narrative around this government, the better.”
Meanwhile Shetland MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad, who is also Scotland’s public finance minister, said she looked forward to “building a collaborative relationship” with Burnham’s new government.
Calling for a “rewiring” of the system, the SNP’s Goodlad said the Scottish Government is “clear that, if we are to deliver the radical changes we want to see in our public services and local government, power must be pushed into communities across Scotland”.
“Throughout the recent election campaign, I made no secret of the fact that I want to see greater autonomy for Shetland: greater control over energy planning, the Crown Estate and an extended regulating order would be a strong place to start,” she said.
“Now, as the Scottish minister responsible for community empowerment, I am pursuing a bold devolution agenda for communities across Scotland from within government, and I look forward to working with anyone who shares that ambition.”
But she warned Westminster in a post on social media that “Scotland is not a region of the UK – we are a country”.
“An Anglicised mayoral system is not the answer for Scotland. Instead, we should have the confidence to build a model that reflects Scotland’s own needs, drawing inspiration from the best of our Nordic neighbours. For too long we’ve looked south for solutions.
“Scotland doesn’t need to copy England, we need the confidence to look north and learn from our Nordic neighbours.”
Speaking last week, Shetland Islands Council leader Emma Macdonald said one way Burnham – who was formerly the mayor of Manchester – and his new government could make a positive impact would be to commit to supporting tunnels in Shetland.
“Shetland has a lot of opportunities but we do need investment in infrastructure to help us to grow and the work we are doing around inter-island connectivity is a key example of this, and we need to work with both governments to see this progress,” she said.
Speaking at Downing Street earlier today after meeting with King Charles, Burnham said: “Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again, and that is our challenge, to make politics work, to make it work better. I know people at home are fed up with politics. I hear you.
“And I want to be honest with you. We have not been good enough, and we need to be better. We will be.
“We will make this moment a circuit breaker for Britain, bringing forward the biggest changes in the last forty years. A new political model and a new economic model.”
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