Andy Burnham’s major speech today contained a message that deserves to resonate well beyond Labour politics. His call to put place at the heart of government, to deliver “good growth in every postcode” and to devolve power away from Westminster is one of the most compelling ideas to emerge from British politics in recent years… likely because it echoes much of what we Lib Dems have been saying/calling for for years now. For too long, Britain has been governed as though every problem can be solved from Whitehall. The result has been an increasingly centralised State that often fails to appreciate the distinct challenges and opportunities facing different parts of our country.

Whether it is the East Midlands (from where your columnist writes), Cornwall, rural Wales, the Highlands, Northern Ireland or our great northern cities, communities want more than warm words about “levelling up.” – they want the power, investment and trust to shape their own futures.

As Liberal Democrats, this should not simply be an attractive idea; it should feel instinctively familiar. Our belief in localism has always recognised that those closest to a problem are often best placed to solve it. Empowering councils and local communities is not just more democratic, it usually produces better policy too.

Burnham’s proposal for a “No 10 North” is deliberately symbolic, but the principle behind it is sound. It reflects his wider ambition to “rewire Britain” by shifting decision-making away from Westminster and embedding government more firmly in the places it serves.

Of course, devolution cannot simply mean moving responsibilities without resources. Local leaders need meaningful fiscal powers, long-term funding settlements and genuine freedom to innovate. Otherwise, decentralisation becomes little more than Whitehall passing the buck.

Equally, a politics of place must not become a politics of grievance. This is not about London versus the North, cities versus towns or one nation of the UK against another. London’s prosperity benefits the whole country, just as thriving regions strengthen the national economy. The objective must a Britain where every community is equipped to succeed, not one where different places beg for scraps at the Treasury table.

Politics ultimately succeeds or fails where people live. It is experienced through the buses we catch, the high streets we use, the jobs that are available, the homes that are affordable and the public services on which we all rely. If those places flourish, confidence in politics grows. If they decline, cynicism inevitably follows.

Burnham is right to argue that place should become one of the organising principles of domestic policymaking. Every region and nation of the United Kingdom must be told that it matters; it should be given the powers, investment and respect that proves it does. For we liberals, that is not simply good economics. It is good democracy.

Our Party Doesn’t Have a Problem with Christians

Former leader Tim Farron has argued this past weekend that our party has a problem with Christians. I respectfully disagree.

I say that not only as a Bible-reading, church-attending Christian, but as someone actively involved in Church leadership. I serve on my local Deanery Synod, part of the Church of England’s local governing structures, and have never felt unwelcome in our party because of my faith.

But, then, there is no divide between my politics and my religion. I am a social liberal in both. And herein lies the real issue.

What our party does sometimes understandably struggle with is not Christianity itself, but with the social conservatism that some Christians in our party seem to peddle. The Liberal Democrats are, and must remain, a socially liberal party. We champion LGBT+ equality, women’s rights, bodily autonomy and individual liberty because those values sit at the heart of modern liberalism.

None of that is in any way incompatible with Christianity. Indeed, many Christians-including me-see those same values reflected in the Gospel’s call to love our neighbour, uphold human dignity and stand alongside those who are marginalised.

Our party should always be a home for people of faith (and, indeed, for those without). But it must never compromise its commitment to social liberalism. The challenge is not whether someone is a Christian, it is whether they are prepared to embrace the liberal values that define who we are.

Play On!

Forget the football. For the next fortnight, I’ll be glued to Wimbledon.

There’s nothing quite like the world’s greatest tennis tournament, and I’ll be cheering on the British players every step of the way. Here’s to thrilling rallies, Centre Court drama and two weeks of superb sport.

Play on!

* Mathew Hulbert is a former Councillor, is a regular commentator on TV and Radio, and is Co-Host of the Political Frenemies podcast.