The Guardian view on England’s centralised state: Andy Burnham must unbundle it | Editorial

Andy Burnham proposes unbundling the centralised English state to empower regions with finance and institutions, addressing rapid deindustrialisation in Yorkshire and the Midlands. Simultaneously, the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory faces potential closure after March 2028 due to funding withdrawals. These cuts, managed by the Science and Technology Facilities Council, target particle, astro, and nuclear physics. While the projected annual savings are £2.8m, critics argue these budget reductions represent bad science and politics.