Prime Minister Andy Burnham (Labour) spent his first day at Number 10 North in Manchester on July 24, 2026 [2].
This move represents a significant shift in the geography of British power. By establishing a permanent government base outside of London, the administration seeks to dismantle the traditional centralization of authority in the south of England.
Burnham used his first day at the Manchester facility to chair a meeting of the revived National Economic Council [1]. The council was originally established in 2008 following the global banking crash [4]. Its revival is intended to bring senior ministers and regional mayors together to collaboratively shape the economic policy of the United Kingdom [1].
Number 10 North is designed to function as a strategic hub for regional governance. The Prime Minister is expected to work from the Manchester office on a weekly basis [3]. This arrangement allows the government to maintain a constant presence in the north, facilitating more direct communication between the cabinet and local leaders.
Critics and supporters alike are watching the experiment to see if it creates a "second Westminster" or simply adds a layer of bureaucracy. However, the administration said that integrating mayors into the National Economic Council is the only way to ensure regional growth is not overlooked by the central government [5].
By basing the council's meetings in Manchester, the government is signaling that the North of England will play a central role in the country's financial recovery and future planning. The move is part of a broader strategy to decentralize the civil service and bring decision-making closer to the communities affected by those policies [5].
“The Prime Minister is expected to work from Number 10 North every week.”
The creation of Number 10 North and the revival of the National Economic Council suggest a fundamental change in the UK's governance model. By institutionalizing the role of regional mayors in national economic planning, the Burnham administration is attempting to transition from a 'top-down' London-centric approach to a more federalized system of economic management.
