Andy Burnham has sprung into No. 10 after nine years in office as the Mayor of Greater Manchester. The new Prime Minister has now been in office for just over a month, and it’s been out with the old and in with the new as he oversaw a major switch up of cabinet positions and ministerial portfolios.
The Prime Minister
Andy Burnahm is a self-proclaimed champion of devolution, particularly during his time as Mayor, calling-out England’s ‘hyper-centralisation around London and the M25’. He is a big advocate of directing more power and spending towards the devolved nations and has already committed to handing more powers to regional mayors.
In general, Burnham has previously expressed his support for greater public control over the energy and water sectors. In the runup to the start of his time as PM, Burnham promised the ‘biggest council housing building programme “since the post-War period”’. Since he took office, we have already seen a £10 billion allocation for building more than 70,000 social and affordable homes across England, alongside £6 billion previously announced for London.
On Net Zero, despite much speculation over the Government potentially changing its stance on new oil and gas licences for the North Sea, Burnham is a staunch supporter of measures to prevent climate change, committing Greater Manchester to carbon neutrality by 2038.
The Deputy Labour Party Leader and Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, has stated that there will be a “change of emphasis” on North Sea oil and gas. However, after the recent cabinet reshuffle, new appointments in the Department for Energy Security point towards continuity with previous stances on homegrown clean energy, domestic decarbonisation, and energy efficiency measures.
He has hit the ground running on energy announcements, specifically on making electrification more affordable for households. Since the Prime Minister was sworn into office, we have seen a commitment to remove VAT from household electricity bills from October.
The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Miatta Fahnbulleh takes over from Ed Miliband as Secretary of State (SoS) for Energy Security & Net Zero. Previously serving as the Minister for Energy Consumers under Ed Miliband, her appointment signals support for the existing policy agenda. Miatta is a consistent backer of clean energy measures, having overseen the initial stages of the Warm Homes Plan.
Miatta’s priorities as a junior minister lay in reducing energy bills for consumers, reducing fuel poverty, and in measures that will help with demand reduction alongside decarbonisation.
Our Chief Executive, Dave Sowden, sat down with Miatta in her previous capacity as Minister for Energy Consumers to pitch the SEA’s Energy Efficiency Incentive, our proposal to reward the in-use performance of energy saving measures and accelerate the installation of measures such as insulation. Alongside her interest in our paper, Miatta has also shown a pattern of support for effectively improving the fabric efficiency of homes and buildings.
Miatta Fahnbulleh is also a keen supporter of devolution, aligning with Andy Burnham’s desire to increase household affordability and build net zero homes in local communities.
Also in Miatta’s team is Martin McCluskey and Polly Billington, who take on the ministerial responsibilities for Local Energy & Jobs, and Energy Consumers, respectively. Interestingly, these portfolios slightly overlap, both covering consumer protection and standards. As we transition to a low carbon energy system, the Government likely sees the importance of strengthening consumer trust in new technologies and ensuring a more seamless transition for residents.
Both roles also show an emphasis on domestic energy, affordability, fuel poverty, and clean heat. Both Miatta Fahnbulleh and Martin McCluskey have at one point taken up the Energy Consumers role, so we are likely to see a continuation of Starmer era policies around the Warm Homes Plan.
Martin McCluskey retains most of his responsibilities as the previous Minister for Energy Consumers, focusing specifically on clean heat, the delivery of the Warm Homes Plan, and smart energy. Polly Billington’s brief lands more on the affordability and bills side, looking at debt, fuel poverty, support schemes, and levies.
Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government
Angela Rayner takes up the role of SoS in the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG), a role she previously held between 2024-25. Housing is a big priority for the SEA, and the Department is heavily responsible for healthy homes, social housing, and therefore aspects of fuel poverty, particularly in low-income homes.
In her previous tenure as SoS in MHCLG, Rayner oversaw the implementation of Awaab’s Law, and introduced the Renters’ Rights Bill, which extended this and the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector. These policies require landlords to address issues with damp, mould, and efficiency, with Awaab’s law soon to be extended to cover excess cold and heat, structural issues and hygiene.
Rayner’s reinstatement marks a renewed focus on strengthening standards in social housing and the private rented sector. Rayner’s wider team also have strong ties to support for improved energy efficiency and wider measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Matthew Pennycook, the Minister for Housing and Planning, has previously held roles in the shadow cabinet in the energy sector.
As previously mentioned, we have already seen a strong drive from the new cabinet to build ‘genuinely affordable homes’ with a specific focus on social homes and affordability. Andy Burnham previously pledged to build 30,000 affordable net zero homes in Greater Manchester in his time as Mayor. As we begin to see the implementation of the Future Homes and Buildings Standard, we expect to see a similar model implemented across the country.
Other notable appointments
The new cabinet is showing greater support for technical skills and jobs. Lucy Powell has been appointed as the SoS for Education, overseeing skills and education from early years right through to higher education, apprenticeships, and skills.
We expect to see a focus on place-based skills gaps, specifically in the retrofit and low carbon sector, combining Lucy Powell’s experience in energy and housing with Burnham’s passion for devolved powers. This year, the Government announced a call for evidence on its plan for a new strategy for supporting built environment professions, trades, and occupations.
While not specifically energy related, the Government has just this month announced plans for 10,000 work experience placements for young people. We hope that the focus on youth employment extends to the opportunities provided by a low carbon economy.
Separately, we have seen Jonathan Reynolds appointed to the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, a department which has already declared its plan to expand clean energy storage to mitigate energy price fluctuations.
What to expect next
Andy Burnham understands the local aspects of net zero policies, and appointments made to the cabinet over the last couple of months indicate that we are likely to see policies consistent with Starmer’s time in office.
However, with a passion for social housing, a commitment to increasing household affordability, and strong support for devolution, we expect to see a heavier focus on domestic retrofit measures, healthy homes, measures to reduce fuel poverty, and a placed-based, tailored approach to decarbonisation.