Chris Riches ventured to Manchester's Downing Street to evaluate Andy Burnham's proposal for a 'No.10 North', but discovered a dilapidated, short road lacking a Number 10 building—reflecting the vagueness of Burnham's policies.
A Shabby Street With No Number 10
Manchester's Downing Street, located under the Mancunian Way flyover, is only about 300 yards long and lacks the iconic Number 10 address. The road begins at London Road near Piccadilly station and ends at Ardwick Green, with few buildings using the Downing Street address—a Speedy vehicle hire store and Spirit Studios music school on the right, but no even-numbered buildings on the left.
The street's condition is poor, with litter and a chained-up shop sign, far from the grandeur of its London namesake. Local residents expressed skepticism about Burnham's plans, with police worker Stephen Hogg, 62, stating, 'I don't think there is a great deal of substance to what he is saying yet. It's all right talking the talk, but can he walk the walk?'
Local Reactions to Burnham's Ambitions
Youth worker Beth Bright, 31, whose parents live in Burnham's newly won Ashton-in-Makerfield constituency, said, 'I think he'll make a really good Prime Minister.' However, she noted that constituents will hold him accountable. Maths graduate Daisy Harding, 22, supported the idea of devolution, saying, 'It validates that this is where millions of people live, and big decisions should be made up here too.'
Toby Grey, 23, a civil engineering master's graduate, emphasized the need for Burnham to unite the Labour Party first: 'It's just about bringing people together, that's just the hard part about politics.'
Burnham's 'No.10 North' Plan
In his first speech as a Labour leadership candidate, Burnham proposed creating a 'No.10 North' unit in Manchester if he replaces outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. However, the lack of a physical Number 10 building in Manchester's Downing Street underscores the challenges of turning this vision into reality.
Chris Riches concluded that if Burnham wants an actual Mancunian '10 Downing Street', he will have to look elsewhere—the street simply does not have one.
