Andy Burnham has announced that his first No 10 North meeting will be held on Friday, in an update shared on Thursday.
Speaking at The Hare pub in Harlow, Essex, the new Prime Minister said: “Tomorrow, we’ll be meeting in Manchester in No 10 North. And whole purpose of No 10 North is to put more power into every postcode in the land, including the postcodes of Harlow.”
The former mayor of Greater Manchester added: “How do we get power out of Whitehall and Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can make a difference and turn things around?”
Security Presence at Interim Site
It comes a day after police officers were seen guarding the entrance of the interim No 10 North site in Manchester city centre on Wednesday, July 22. They were spotted outside Heron House on Albert Square, the building currently occupied by GCHQ, which sits a stones' throw from Manchester town hall and the council's offices.
The building is set to be the interim home of Number 10 North, a move announced by Andy Burnham to 'rebalance' political power in Britain, out of which ministers are 'already' reportedly working, just two days on from the new MP's appointment.
Broader Vision for Communities
Mr Burnham had earlier told ITV Anglia: “I see the same challenges up and down the country. There’s a lot of communities that feel a little bit forgotten, that don’t get the attention and the investment they deserve. And those communities can be found as much in the East of England and the South West as they can be found in the North of England.”
The northern branch of 10 Downing Street is set to be overseen by Louise Haigh, who has been asked to lead a new Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (OPMC).
Burnham's Return to Parliament and Leadership
It comes after Mr Burnham made his long-awaited return to Parliament after winning the seat in Makerfield after a tumultuous campaign period. Shortly after he became an MP once again, Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation, which gave Mr Burnham an opportunity to launch a leadership bid. With no challenges, he received enough nominations to become leader of the Labour Party, and was on Monday (July 20) officially made Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after meeting with King Charles.
First Week Measures
So far during his first week as prime minister, Mr Burnham has announced that he will be imposing a £2 bus cap nationwide, a 20% tax cut for businesses, and confirmed that he will not be increasing the tax allowance - which currently sits at £12,570 - among other measures.
