Following Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election and Keir Starmer’s downtrodden resignation the following week, the Labour Party has opened its doors for Burnham to step in as the nation’s newest PM. In his first public address after returning to Westminster, Burnham outlined his vision for the future of power devolution in the UK. Place-based politics, metro mayors, and a ‘Manchesterist’ approach to decentralisation are for the taking – but does Burnham’s devolution dream speak to Cornwall’s needs? Well, of course it doesn’t.

Burnham’s immediate background as the Metro Mayor of Greater Manchester has fuelled his championing of a mayoral-style devolution model for all regions. Metro mayors are the highest form of regional devolved power in England and are directly elected to represent multiple unitary authorities under one combined authority. They maintain powers over public transport, housing, and local economic development, which have been used successfully in Manchester to bring transport lines back under public ownership.

However, some have been quick to point out the clear pitfalls of mayor-based devolution for rural areas, which are often made up of diffuse communities with unique needs that cannot be assimilated under one central authority. We left the days of feudal kings behind us for a reason.

A Mayor for Cornwall?

While Burnham may be presenting his ‘Manchesterist’ metro mayor roadmap as a radical and fresh policy alternative, this idea is far from new and has been consistently unpopular in Cornwall. In a 2023 public consultation, 69% of Cornish respondents disapproved of a Cornish mayor, while only 25% were in favour. A metro mayor devolution roadmap was also rejected by Cornwall Council later that same year, while Cornish MPs have frequently spoken out against a regional mayor.

Much of the backlash against a metro mayor is rooted in fears of Cornwall being forcibly merged with Devon under a combined south-western authority. This would threaten Cornwall’s National Minority Status and unique cultural identity and undermines any hopes of self-determination.

Members of Cornwall Council have ardently campaigned against the formation of a merged mayoral authority, instead favouring the creation of a Single Foundation Strategic Authority. This would allow more powers to be devolved to Cornwall without the need to sacrifice regional autonomy under a pesky shared mayor. However, progress on a bespoke deal has been slow and marred by problems.

Despite recognising Cornwall’s desire for an independent devolution arrangement, Westminster has failed to show tangible support for Cornish autonomy. During a March 2026 debate on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, MP for North Cornwall Ben Maguire stated that “our national minority status in Cornwall has been completely ignored” by the Labour government. He added that “We (Cornwall) don’t want to be dragged kicking and screaming into a joint merger with Plymouth or any other wider south-west authority.”

Burnham’s rise to Number 10 offers little in the way of Cornwall’s fight for regional devolution. In a 2021 parliamentary debate about the future of English devolution, Burnham advocated for a combined Cornwall and Devon authority. He stated that Cornwall and Devon must “rise above regional disputes,” reject “petty and parochial” politics, and take the “mature approach” by pursuing a merger. The King of the North clearly has no love for Cornwall. Nor does his clumsy approach to power distribution consider the uniqueness of Cornwall geographically or economically.

Reject a mayor – get the boot.

Rejecting the mayoral devolution model has created tangible negative impacts for Cornish communities. Metro mayoral authorities retain greater powers over key areas of local policy; they also, crucially, have access to an annual £30 million integrated mayoral fund. This money was a driving force behind meaningful reforms in urban mayoral areas such as Manchester and will be unavailable to Cornwall unless a mayor is elected.

The message from the Labour government is clear – metro mayors are the only acceptable form of devolution for local regions, regardless of the desires of local populations. This domineering approach to devolution will be a popularity nightmare, and only through a proper extension of local democracy will Cornwall and other regions of Britain be able to “take back control.”

Image Via: Unknown.