Burnham plans to work some days in Manchester as PM
BBC News 2026-06-30 15:09:30
Context: Andy Burnham, the Labour MP for Makerfield, plans to split his time between Downing Street in London and Manchester if he becomes Prime Minister, with a proposed new "No 10 North" unit in the city aimed at devolving power away from Westminster. Burnham, who announced his Labour leadership bid last Monday, hopes his presence in Manchester will symbolize his commitment to regional empowerment. If he remains the sole candidate, he could become the next Prime Minister as early as July 20.
Key Facts
- Andy Burnham plans to create a new "No 10 North" unit in Manchester if he becomes Prime Minister, which would oversee the devolution of power to English regions, including control over housing and transport.
- The proposed unit would aim to give regions more control over key areas, with Burnham indicating that economic decisions would be devolved to local communities away from senior civil servants in Whitehall.
- Burnham's allies believe his presence in Manchester would be a strong symbol of his commitment to devolving power away from Westminster, and he may spend a set or informal number of days working in the city.
- If Burnham chooses not to make Downing Street his main home, he would become the first Prime Minister since Harold Wilson not to reside primarily in the famous London building.
- Past Prime Ministers, including Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, have spent some time away from London in their constituencies, but those around Burnham say his arrangements would be different to the norm.