ANDY Burnham has pledged to create a “Number 10 North” to act as “the nerve centre of a rewired Britain”, charged with making power flow to all the UK’s nations and regions.
In his first major speech since Keir Starmer announced he would be leaving Downing Street, Burnham pledged to pull people together in the “broadest possible coalition” to revive hope across the country as his presumed position as the next prime minister continues.
Drawing inspiration from Germany, he said No10 North would be “given a mission to strive for equivalent living conditions in all parts of Britain”.
The department would also have three “clear tasks” of increasing public ownership of essential utilities such as water, energy and housing; reindustrialisation; and regeneration.
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak also previously floated the idea of a regional office to address the issue of centralised governance when he was a Tory leadership contender, pledging to set up a government office for the Treasury in Scotland before naming Darlington – which is in County Durham.
Where will Number 10 North be based?
The Makerfield MP, who gave up being mayor of Greater Manchester to return to Parliament in a by-election earlier this month, said the new office will be based in Manchester.
What did Andy Burnham say about Number 10 North?
Setting out his plans for a northern office, Burnham said: “No 10 North will be the nerve centre of a rewired Britain.
“It will be the conduit through which we redistribute power and resources across the UK.”
He said Whitehall would be forced to give up power to places across the country.
“Let me say this very directly: the days of Whitehall fighting the devolution of power into the regions and nations are over for good.
“I have had 10 years of fighting the Whitehall machine, blocking this place’s progress, the progress of people here and I am simply not prepared to accept the same for any area coming after Greater Manchester.
“The whole of Whitehall will now be required to get behind our places and work together with them to make quicker, more joined-up decisions.”
What has the reaction to Number 10 North been?
First Minister of Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “A Number 10 of the North will mean very little to the people of Wales.
“I have been arguing for many years that the Westminster system is a broken system.
“That is why this Welsh Government set out our expectations on day one that Wales both needs and deserves a fairer settlement on funding and powers.
“Wales already has a new government giving people a new sense of agency, possibility and hope on priorities – from cutting waiting lists, to rolling out fully funded childcare, to creating good jobs.
“Regardless of who leads the UK Government, I will be making the same positive case in a constructive manner – fair funding and parity of powers with Scotland must be a bare minimum for Wales, and I look forward to pursuing a respect agenda that works both ways."
