Andy Burnham is scheduled to visit his new No10 North headquarters for the first time and designate it as the “situation room” for enhancing the functionality of Britain.
Last month, the new Prime Minister revealed his plan to establish a northern division of Downing Street to prevent centralizing power in Westminster.
Initially, the operations will be based in Manchester city centre’s Heron House, which also houses the UK’s intelligence and cyber agency GCHQ’s North West hub.
During the visit on Friday, Downing Street announced that the PM will resurrect Gordon Brown’s National Economic Council, formed in 2008 following the global financial crisis, to convene senior ministers and mayors from the region.
In anticipation of Mr. Burnham’s inaugural visit, his close ally and top Cabinet minister Louise Haigh stated, “No10 North is ready for action.”
The new PM, aiming to spend at least one day a week at the site, emphasized, “For four decades, power and resources have been centralized, neglecting many communities in need of attention and investment.”
“No 10 North will rectify this by decentralizing power to every corner of the country.”
“It will serve as the hub for transforming Britain – a place where power is decentralized from Westminster to empower local communities to drive change. The era of Whitehall resisting devolution is over, permanently.”
The No10 North visit follows Angela Rayner, the newly appointed Housing Secretary, praising the new PM for swiftly addressing the cost of living challenges.
Recent policy initiatives include a VAT reduction on energy bills, reinstatement of the £2 cap on bus fares, and a reduction in business rates.
Ms. Rayner commended the Prime Minister’s efforts, stating, “The Prime Minister is focused on giving people relief. He has promptly responded to the public’s concerns.”
“He spoke passionately and sincerely outside No10 without any notes. It is evident that he has deeply contemplated this issue for a long time. Having served as the mayor of Greater Manchester, he understands the challenges and frustrations. By eliminating barriers, we can effectively deliver results.”
However, Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, cautioned in a guest column for The Mirror that the new PM has a singular opportunity to alter the direction of the Labour government.
She emphasized, “To instill hope, this Government must adopt a new economic agenda that prioritizes the working class and places them at the forefront of policy decisions.”
