Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, has pledged to establish a new Prime Minister's office in Manchester, dubbed 'Number 10 North,' as part of a sweeping plan to devolve power across the United Kingdom. In his first major policy speech since Starmer announced his resignation last week, Burnham outlined his vision to 'bring about the biggest rebalancing of power' the country has ever seen.
Speaking to an audience of around 100 supporters at the People's History Museum in Manchester city centre on Monday, June 29, Burnham received a huge round of applause as he confirmed widely trailed plans for the northern office. The Merseyside-born politician, who recently returned to Parliament after a decisive victory in the Makerfield by-election, said the office would be based in Manchester and tasked with ensuring power flows to all regions and devolved nations.
Number 10 North: A Nerve Centre for a Rewired Britain
Burnham described 'Number 10 North' as 'the nerve centre of a rewired Britain' and 'the conduit through which we redistribute power and resources across the UK.' He declared: 'Let me say this very directly: the days of Whitehall fighting the devolution of power into the regions and nations are over for good.'
The former mayor of Greater Manchester, who served for a decade, added: 'I have had 10 years of fighting the Whitehall machine, blocking this place’s progress, the progress of people here and I am simply not prepared to accept the same for any area coming after Greater Manchester. The whole of Whitehall will now be required to get behind our places and work together with them to make quicker, more joined-up decisions.'
Manchesterism: A New Economic Approach
Burnham's speech was themed around devolving power and introducing 'Manchesterism,' which he defined as increased state intervention into the economy and a rejection of the idea that growth originates from Whitehall corridors. He argued: 'We will bring about the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen. It is time for Whitehall to accept that growth cannot be ordered from the top down. Instead, it can only be nurtured from the bottom up.'
He emphasised that growth comes from 'having the power at ground level to make a real difference, from a clear shared vision that everyone can understand, and investors can back.' He cited Greater Manchester's sound finances as a model, which 'gives businesses the stability and the confidence to invest, increasing their productivity and adoption of new technology.' Burnham also stressed the importance of placing universities at the heart of local economies and committing to decent infrastructure across all parts of the UK.
Support from Regional Leaders
The event was attended by several prominent regional leaders, including Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram, Birkenhead MP Alison McGovern (currently Minister for Local Government and English Devolution), and other mayors such as Tracy Brabin (West Yorkshire), David Skaith (York and North Yorkshire), Richard Parker (West Midlands), Kim McGuinness (North East), Oliver Coppard (South Yorkshire), and Ken Skates (Interim Leader of Welsh Labour). Their presence underscored broad support for Burnham's devolution agenda.
Burnham did not take questions from reporters after his 30-minute speech. He is widely expected to become the next Prime Minister without facing a leadership contest, following Starmer's resignation announcement last week.
