Andy Burnham has announced his intention to spend part of his working week at a new Manchester base after assuming the role of Prime Minister. The former Greater Manchester mayor’s ascent follows Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation, clearing the path for Burnham to lead the Labour Party.
Burnham’s First Speech as Labour Leader
In his inaugural address as party leader on Friday, July 17, Burnham declared that Labour had a 'last chance to change' and vowed to 'build a new politics.' He pledged to set a political direction that is 'distinctively Labour' rather than 'doing what we’ve done in the past of wearing too many Tory clothes.'
Burnham argued that the country took a 'series of wrong turns in the 1980s' and 'needs a new path to the one that we’ve been on for the last 40 years' to create 'an economy and a country that works for all people and places.'
A Leader for All Regions
“I will be a leader for the north, the south, the east and the west, plus Scotland, Wales and for Northern Ireland,” Burnham said. “Yes, the north of England has given me so much, everything, in fact. And in return, I have sought to give it the strongest voice I could. That was my job, but now I do the same for everywhere, because I see the same challenges everywhere I look.”
Living Arrangements: No 10 and a New Northern Base
Number 10 Downing Street, the official residence and office of the Prime Minister, will remain his primary base. However, Burnham, along with his wife Marie-France van Heel, currently resides in the North West near his new constituency of Makerfield. He confirmed plans to create a 'No 10 North' in Manchester, likely near Piccadilly in the city centre, where he will work part of the week.
Asked if he would spend Fridays at the Manchester outpost, Burnham told reporters in Gravesend: “No, it’s more than that.” He elaborated: “I’ll drive this change. I will drive the devolution of power from No 10 North right across this country. I want all places to have more power, to do more for themselves, to reindustrialise, to build the council homes that places like this need.”
Burnham emphasised the success of devolution in Greater Manchester, calling it 'the key to getting more growth' and noting that the region is the 'fastest-growing city region in the country.' He pledged that No 10 North would lead efforts to extend similar opportunities nationwide.
Downing Street Residence and Larry the Cat
Burnham will have the choice of two flats at Downing Street: the flat above No 10 and a larger four-bedroom flat at No 11, which has been favoured by recent prime ministers including Tony Blair, David Cameron, and Boris Johnson. Larry the Downing Street cat, officially the 'Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office,' will remain in residence, having served under six previous prime ministers since being adopted in 2011.
