Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced the opening of No 10 North in Manchester, marking the first major act of his government and what he hopes will be its most defining. On Monday, a small team of officials and advisers began work in an office building in Manchester to set about remaking the British state.
Burnham said power has been too centralised in Britain and tackling that is key to progress and prosperity. He described the initiative as ambitious, stating: “We’re remaking the state.”
Addressing decades of centralisation
According to Burnham, over the past 40 years Britain has taken a series of wrong turns. In the 1980s, political power was centralised, economic power was privatised and communities were deindustrialised. Many of the places most affected have not recovered and are still in decline, unable to turn things around because they lack the necessary power. This feeling of neglect has lain underneath increasingly fractious politics.
Burnham said solving this problem is crucial for the cohesion of the country. Previous attempts, such as levelling up or shifting bits of the British state around the map, have not worked because decision-making power remained in London and because Nos 10 and 11 were not sufficiently aligned, particularly on growth.
What No 10 North will do
No 10 North will be responsible for accelerating devolution, driving reindustrialisation and growth across every postcode of the UK, and removing barriers to regeneration from council housebuilding to public transport infrastructure. It will bring the whole of Whitehall together behind places rather than standing in their way. The long-term ambition is to achieve equivalent living standards across all regions and nations of the UK.
Burnham argued that growth cannot be imposed from the top down but must be nurtured from the bottom up. He said Britain has spent decades trying the former unsuccessfully and is now about to give the latter a proper go.
First steps and future plans
On Tuesday, from No 10 North, Burnham will chair the first meeting of the National Economic Council, bringing together senior ministers and regional mayors to ensure every department in Whitehall gets behind the growth and devolution ambitions of every region.
Later this year, the government will bring forward a 10-year plan for Britain, laying out a path to bring essentials back under stronger public control, reindustrialise every part of Britain, build more council homes and solve the housing crisis. Smaller steps have already been taken, including two tax cuts: one on VAT on electricity bills for households over winter and another on business rates for pubs, social clubs and live music venues.
Burnham acknowledged the difficulty of the task but said he has a clear plan and knows how to get things done. He expressed confidence that the civil service is ready to come on this journey with him.
