Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has publicly advocated for the United Kingdom to adopt a written constitution. Burnham suggests that his ongoing work to devolve power from central government to regional authorities serves as a catalyst for this constitutional shift. He characterizes the current British political framework as "antiquated," arguing that it is ill-equipped to address modern challenges or ensure that economic and social opportunities are shared fairly across all regions.

The United Kingdom is currently one of the few major global democracies that operates without a single, codified constitutional document. Instead, the UK relies on a collection of statutes, court judgments, and conventions that have evolved over centuries. Burnham’s proposal implies a fundamental restructuring of the state, moving away from this traditional, flexible model toward a more rigid, defined set of governing rules. While the article notes that the Prime Minister has historically supported the idea of a major political overhaul, it does not detail specific legislative steps for how such a transition would be implemented or managed.

Burnham’s comments frame the devolution process not merely as a policy shift, but as a precursor to a broader democratic reform. By linking regional empowerment to constitutional change, he is positioning his local governance agenda as a blueprint for national modernization. The proposal remains a subject of debate, as critics of a written constitution often argue that the current system’s flexibility is one of its greatest strengths, allowing the government to adapt to crises without the legal hurdles associated with a formal constitutional amendment process.