Its purpose, as the strapline added, was a “bid to soothe ‘public control’ anxiety”. “It has always been about bringing in a private-sector partner,” he told the FT, floating a “degree of public control” through a “golden share” or similar arrangement. Central to his “Productive State” agenda, Burnham promotes “public control”, not “public ownership”, as his policy. Reynolds made clear that despite all the fuss over “public control”, it didn’t threaten private sector corporations but rewarded them. Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds (right) and Andy Burnham at the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester.