Lord Michael Heseltine, the Conservative grandee and devolution campaigner, has thrown his weight behind Andy Burnham's plan for a 'No 10 in the North', describing it as an 'important gesture in the right direction' that could be 'very beneficial' to the UK economy.
Heseltine's Endorsement of Burnham's Vision
In an interview with the Press Association, Lord Heseltine said the critical factor is having a Prime Minister committed to the devolution agenda. He noted that without such commitment, power in Whitehall will fragment and resist change. 'Creating a powerful No 10 unit, whether it's in Manchester or in London or anywhere else, is an important gesture in the right direction,' he stated.
Burnham, who looks set to enter Downing Street within weeks, used a speech on Monday to pledge to 'rewire' the British state, handing greater decision-making to local leaders. His flagship proposal is an outpost of 10 Downing Street based in Manchester, serving as a 'nerve centre' for reindustrialisation and redistributing power across the UK.
Support from Housing Secretary Steve Reed
Housing Secretary Steve Reed also backed the plan, calling it a 'great idea' and supporting Burnham's pledge to 'go further and faster' on devolution. Reed said Sir Keir Starmer's Government had made a fantastic start, but Burnham's ambitions were welcome.
Lord Heseltine described Manchester as 'probably the most effective example of what David Cameron began to introduce' with devolution reforms under former communities secretary Greg Clark. He added that Burnham is 'the present manifestation of the dream that people like me had when we started the journey to devolution.'
Caution on Business Rates Devolution
However, Heseltine warned against proposals to hand local leaders the power to set and retain business rates, which Burnham has reportedly been advised to consider. Heseltine argued that differences in local revenue must be balanced by central Government intervention. 'If I was advising Andy Burnham now I'd say look, don't tinker around with local income tax or local rates, get on with the job of generating wealth, and that is basically using capital funds,' he said.
Heseltine, who authored a major 2012 report serving as a blueprint for devolution policies under Lord Cameron's government, said he had a 'very good relationship' with Burnham when the latter was metro mayor. He praised Burnham's intention to reach across the political divide.
Cross-Party Cooperation and Warning Against Reform UK
On Burnham's broader speech, Heseltine said the message was accurate: 'Tell the truth, don't get involved in committing what you can't deliver, and recognise we're all in this together.' He added that Burnham's vision made sense and if carried through with determination, it could have beneficial consequences for all political parties and the entire economy.
Despite welcoming cross-party cooperation, Heseltine said Labour and the Tories should work to 'expose' Reform UK, which he described as an 'extremist' proposition. He also welcomed Burnham's Makerfield by-election victory as 'a very substantial advantage for those of us who believe in the dangers of Reform.'
