Andy Burnham creates 'GB Grid' quango for energy as he pushes Left-wing nationalisation agenda

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 05:32 EDT, 29 September 2026 | Updated: 05:43 EDT, 29 September 2026 Andy Burnham will create a new publicly-owned 'Great British Grid' as part of his nationalisation drive.The new body is intended to boost competition and speed up electricity grid connections for businesses and major projects.It will be the first publicly-owned player in electricity networks since privatisation under Margaret Thatcher some 36 years ago.The Prime Minister is set to announce the plans in his keynote speech at Labour's conference in Liverpool on Tuesday afternoon.His address is also expected to include proposals for greater state control of water and housing.GB Grid is expected to get access to a pot of £4billion of taxpayers' cash that has already been allocated to Great British Energy, which was set up under Keir Starmer.Mr Burnham has set a target of reducing energy costs so that they are in line with other European nations within the next decade.But critics said the Government's creation of 'yet another quango' would be a 'sideshow' to the 'serious work' needed to bring down energy costs. Andy Burnham will create a new publicly-owned 'Great British Grid' as part of his nationalisation drive The new body is intended to boost competition and speed up electricity grid connections for businesses and major projectsThe PM will say in his speech on Tuesday that GB Grid will bring 'more public control' to help reform the 'broken energy market'.The body is expected to use public funding to help build more grid connections, as well as to maximise and speed up the rollout of renewable energy across the UK.It follows complaints about how long it takes to get a grid connection for new buildings and projects.There are also fears that the UK's electricity networks will be unable to cope with soaring demand for connections from new data centres needed to power AI.Mr Burnham will tell Labour members in Liverpool: 'We have a cost crisis. We all know it. The price of energy is crippling for businesses, and British billpayers pay some of the highest energy costs in Europe.'We have an energy system where prices are dictated in markets miles away, while families and businesses here shoulder the costs. Once again, the British public has lost control.'Within ten years, I want our energy costs to be in line with other nations in Europe. That means we must reform a broken energy market so it serves the public interest.'I can announce today our plan for Great British Grid, a publicly-owned company that will work with the private sector and network companies.'It will increase competition to drive down costs and speed up delivery so businesses can connect faster and grow quicker. This is what more public control can do.'Labour will also give businesses rights to 'self-build' their connection infrastructure and make GB Grid available to co-invest, taking away the need to wait for network companies.GB Grid will work with the private sector and network companies.Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said the move was 'another step towards mending the decades of Tory policies which ripped out public control from our energy systems'.'Because the only way to bring down bills for good for homes and businesses is through clean power we can control,' she added.But senior Tory MP Andrew Bowie, the shadow energy secretary, said: 'Great British Grid will become Great British Gridlock if Labour continue to pile on green levies and taxes – this is what is holding back our energy system.'Burnham wants to nationalise the network so Labour can cram on more subsidised wind farms, and families will pay twice over.'The Conservatives would get out of the way, letting businesses build their own gas power and grid connections and bid openly for capacity, and cutting electricity costs for every business through our Cheap Power Plan.'Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said: 'Instead of doing the serious work of bringing down bills by introducing local pricing and pushing forward further planning reform, Andy Burnham is setting up yet another quango. 'This is a sideshow. Britain needs more competition and fewer barriers to new energy projects, not more government bureaucracy with a grand name.'