英国首相安迪·伯纳姆表示，其权力下放改革方案强化了制定成文宪法的必要性。[1]伯纳姆认为，英国作为仅有的几个主要民主国家之一缺乏成文宪法，权力过度集中在威斯敏斯特，这是导致英国成为"世界上最不平等主要国家之一"的主要原因。[1]他在2024年出版的著作《Head North》中写道："我们未能充分制定国家治理规则，这是英国成为世界上最不平等主要国家之一的主要原因。"[1]
根据计划，到2028年初，英格兰各地区市长将能够保留其地区产生的部分所得税收益。[1]伯纳姆以德国《基本法》为灵感，该法律规定各州必须保持等同的生活水准。[1]根据这一方案，伦敦和大曼彻斯特等经济强区将向赫尔、东约克郡等欠发达地区分配部分收入，以打破区域不平等现象。[1]伯纳姆表示："这将增加制定宪法的必要性，因为通过这些改革，英国正在发生变化，英格兰肯定在经历变化。"[1]预计相关提案将在十月晚期公布。[1]
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has argued that his devolution reforms make the case for adopting a written constitution more compelling.[1] Burnham contends that Britain's unwritten constitutional system is outdated and concentrates excessive power in Westminster, with decentralization reforms offering a means to break regional inequality patterns.[1]
Under Burnham's proposal, regional mayors across England will retain a portion of local income tax revenue generated in their areas by early 2028.[1] Drawing inspiration from Germany's Basic Law—which requires all states to maintain equivalent living standards—Burnham has suggested introducing similar mechanisms to redistribute wealth from economically stronger regions like London and Greater Manchester to less developed areas such as Hull and East Yorkshire.[1] The detailed proposal is expected to be released in late October.[1]
"It will increase the case for a constitution because Britain is changing through this, England is certainly changing through this," Burnham stated.[1] In his 2024 book Head North, he wrote: "Our failure fully to set out the rules for how the country should be run is one of the principal reasons why Britain is one of the most unequal major countries in the world."[1] Britain remains among the few major democracies without a codified constitution.[1]