Andy Burnham, Wolverhampton licensing and the road to Number 10

Andy Burnham could end up in Downing Street — and out-of-area licensing should be worried

Andy Burnham’s name is back in the headlines as a serious contender to succeed Sir Keir Starmer, and if the Greater Manchester Mayor does eventually walk into Number 10, one of the longest-running rows in the private hire trade could finally come to a head.

ITV News reported this week that Burnham has quickly become one of the favourites to replace the Prime Minister in the event of a Labour leadership contest. The Mayor has previously signalled he would be willing to challenge Sir Keir, although his path is far from clear — he has no Commons seat, and Labour’s National Executive Committee blocked him from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election earlier in 2026. With Makerfield MP Josh Simons standing down, the route back to Westminster may now be opening up again.

For taxi and private hire drivers, the question of who leads Labour is more than just political theatre. Burnham has been one of the loudest voices in the country on the issue of out-of-area private hire licensing — and, in particular, on the role of Wolverhampton.

In comments reported by Local Government Lawyer following a BBC investigation, Burnham said operators licensed elsewhere “shouldn’t be doing it because they’re giving plates without being able to then monitor the performance,” arguing that Greater Manchester requires newer vehicles and more rigorous checks. The BBC investigation found that around 9,000 of the private hire drivers operating in Greater Manchester were licensed by Wolverhampton — roughly a third of the region’s total.

The numbers behind the row are striking. According to figures reported by the Oldham Chronicle through the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Wolverhampton Council took in £12.3 million in licensing fees over three years, with around a quarter of its drivers actually working in Greater Manchester. Professional Driver Magazine reported that 95.5% of drivers applying for a Wolverhampton licence in one year did not live in the city.

Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester’s ‘In the Hotseat’, Burnham said: “How can you guarantee the safety of people on the streets from there? I think the reason people go there is because they don’t charge as much to licence taxis. The checks they do aren’t as stringent and it is not right.”

Wolverhampton has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The council has stated that existing legislation requires it to grant any application that meets the requirements, and that it cannot refuse an applicant simply because they live in another area. That position is rooted in the 2015 Deregulation Act, which allows private hire drivers licensed anywhere in England and Wales — except London — to operate across the country.

What changes if Burnham reaches Number 10? Greater Manchester previously sought powers to restrict out-of-area operation as part of its Trailblazer devolution negotiations and didn’t get them. A Prime Minister Burnham would no longer need to ask Westminster — he would be Westminster. National minimum standards, stronger powers for metro mayors, or full reform of cross-border hiring would all sit firmly within his gift.

Whether or not he gets that far, his consistent campaigning on this issue has already pushed it up the political agenda. For drivers in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and other cities watching out-of-area plates flood their patch, it’s a fight that’s only getting bigger.

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