Following the appointment of Andy Burnham as Prime Minister, Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA), said:
“The MCA congratulates Andy Burnham on becoming Prime Minister and welcomes the Government’s continued recognition of consulting as one of the UK’s eight growth driving sectors in the Industrial Strategy. We urgently needed a better narrative for what Britain excels in and our strengths at home and abroad. Consulting is a great British success story — a £21.8 billion sector helping organisations innovate, improve productivity and deliver change, while exporting world-class expertise around the globe.
Andy Burnham has previously spoken directly to MCA members about the importance of our sector, the vital role private expertise plays in supporting public sector transformation, and the need to harness professional skills to deliver better services and stronger growth. That message matters now more than ever. Professional services are a major driver of jobs and opportunity across the UK, including in the North West, where the sector is one of the region’s biggest employers.
The latest MCA Annual Industry Report 2026 underlines this contribution, with export earnings among MCA member firms growing by 9% in 2025, 347 member offices now based outside London, apprenticeship recruitment up 31% and graduate hiring up 10%. These figures show a sector investing in people, skills and regional growth — and ready to help Government deliver practical reform, stronger public services and greater international competitiveness.
We look forward to working with Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the Government to strengthen the consulting sector’s contribution to growth, jobs and public transformation across every part of the UK.”
Further information the MCA can be found at www.mca.org.uk