Andy Burnham is giving his first major speech in Manchester, in which he pledges to shift power and resources toward northern England. Multiple outlets describe the event as a start of his governing agenda, with Burnham presenting Manchester as a base for decision-making. The reporting emphasizes a plan to redistribute funding and influence away from the South and toward northern regions. In the coverage provided, Burnham’s remarks also include references to taxation and the potential for new fiscal measures affecting households, described in one account as a “new tax raid.” However, the details of any specific policy, timing, and amounts are not included in the supplied excerpts. Overall, the sources agree on the core message of his opening speech: he positions himself as governing from Manchester and signals an intention to rebalance political and economic power across the country.