Andy Burnham has officially opened No10 North in Manchester, describing the new office as 'the nerve centre of a rewired Britain'. In an address to staff, the Prime Minister said power and energy will flow through the site, where he plans to work at least one day a week.
Balancing Power Across the UK
Mr Burnham announced the office would help balance the concentration of power in London. 'Isn't it better that we have a North Pole, that balances the South Pole of our country where power will always be concentrated? But at least it creates that sense of a more balanced country, and that big things can be done from here,' he said.
He added: 'This is the place where Whitehall meets the rest of the country, I've called it the nerve centre for a rewired Britain. Or if you think about it in terms of the day-to-day kind of challenge around growth, it will be the situation room for growth where we all get around the table - Mayors with all of the teams and the Whitehall departments so we get those decisions made more quickly.'
National Economic Council Meets
Cabinet members including Chancellor John Healey attended a meeting of the National Economic Council at No10 North, which Mr Burnham says will drive growth across the country. Also present were Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper, Jonathan Reynolds and Louise Haigh.
During his speech, Mr Burnham said: 'No10 North is as much for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as it is for the regions of England. If you get that feeling, then I think so much is possible. That doesn't feel possible right now. And we can really get the energy flowing right around the country.'
Personal Reflection on Opportunity
The Prime Minister recounted having to leave the area he grew up in because there were no jobs, saying No10 North was about resetting this. 'It's true of places all over the country to get on in life, you had to leave where you were, because things weren't here. And the country has always been a little like that, hasn't it? That opportunity is not being evenly spread around the country, and not all places have felt that they're part of the national story. And that is what this government is going to work every single day to change. And that is what No10 North is all about.'
There was a large-scale police presence outside the building, home of intelligence service GCHQ, as the Prime Minister arrived. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: 'The principle and the culture that he set in is that power pushed down through the devolution agenda has given benefits to Greater Manchester, that every other area should have the same, and they should be able to reap the benefits of that. And this is about making sure that people can see this is not about holding power in Westminster. This is about pushing power down, having respect for mayors, having respect for local leaders, working with economists in the local area and just driving that agenda forward.'
