Andy Burnham will propose moving parts of his Downing Street operation to Manchester in an ambitious bid to shift power beyond London, according to his first major policy speech expected on Monday. The former Greater Manchester mayor, now Labour MP for Makerfield, is set to announce a 'No10 in the North' initiative as part of a broader devolution agenda that could define his premiership.
Details of the Plan
The move, first reported by the Financial Times, would see key elements of the Prime Minister's operation relocated from London to Manchester. Burnham has been a vocal critic of Westminster-centric politics and has already promised to apply a 'Makerfield test' to policies, measuring them against their impact on his constituents in the North West. The iconic black door of No10 Downing Street symbolizes prime ministerial power, and relocating part of the operation could set a transformative tone for his leadership.
Previous efforts to decentralize power have had mixed results. Rishi Sunak established a Treasury campus in Darlington, but other initiatives, such as Boris Johnson's proposal to move the House of Lords to York, never materialized. In 2017, John McDonnell, Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Chancellor, mooted moving part of the Bank of England to Birmingham.
Political Context and Support
Burnham's announcement comes as he appears poised to become Prime Minister on July 17, with potential challengers stepping aside. Top Starmer ally Darren Jones ruled himself out of the leadership contest, telling Sky News: 'Andy Burnham is going to be the next PM. And if there was a contest of Labour members, he would win.' Jones urged Burnham to provide more details on his economic plans, noting that 'upwards of 100 MPs have expressed concerns either around a contest or economic policy, or who were just feeling pretty depressed off the back of Keir Starmer resigning.'
Pressure is mounting on Burnham to outline his vision without a full leadership race. Some MPs are uneasy about the lack of detail in his plans, but he has secured the endorsement of the majority of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Team Building and Economic Advisors
With only weeks until he could enter Downing Street, Burnham is assembling a top team. Speculation is rife about his choice for Chancellor, with a Labour insider stating: 'Who the Chancellor will be matters. It is a choice between someone who is a bit more left leaning or someone who would have more of a 'steady the ship' role.' Rachel Reeves is widely expected to be replaced, with frontrunners including Ed Miliband and former Health Secretary Wes Streeting. Former ministers like Angela Rayner and Burnham ally Louise Haigh could also secure top jobs.
Blairite former minister James Purnell, who resigned in 2009 in an attempt to bring down Gordon Brown's government, is expected to become Burnham's chief of staff. Burnham has also sought advice from economic heavyweights, including ex-Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane, former OBR chair Richard Hughes, and Jim O'Neill, a former Treasury minister.
Reactions and Broader Implications
Lord O'Neill backed the idea of a radical shift of power outside London. He told LBC: 'It's greatly needed, and there's other things I would argue early years education, and if you look at the endemic challenge in what I guess David Cameron's early days used to call problem families, and these multi-connected problems of very poor education, dreadful housing needs, a lot of those things can only be really dealt with uniquely to the places where they are. And I think an integrated approach to that linked to cutting welfare spending is also something else, which will be pursued.'
O'Neill declined to confirm the reports about moving parts of No10 north, but added: 'I think it would be fantastic.' The proposal is expected to be a key part of Burnham's agenda, signaling a major shift in how power is distributed across the UK.
