UK Opens ‘No 10 North’ Office in Manchester to Drive Economic Growth and Devolution
The Prime Minister is set to launch 'No 10 North' in Manchester, a new Downing Street branch aimed at decentralizing power and boosting local economies. This initiative, championed by Andy Burnham, signals an end to Whitehall's resistance to devolution, with key ministers and a revived National Economic Council convening there to drive economic growth across the country.
The UK Prime Minister has officially opened the new "No 10 North" office in Manchester as part of efforts to decentralise power and strengthen regional economic development. Located at Heron House in Manchester city centre, the office will serve as a hub for economic growth and devolution policies outside Westminster.
The Prime Minister is also expected to chair the first meeting of the revived National Economic Council at the new facility. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the development as the end of Whitehall's resistance to devolution, saying the initiative will give communities across the country a greater role in shaping economic decisions.
Several senior government officials, including Education Secretary Lucy Powell, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Louise Haigh, are expected to work regularly from the office. The government has also recruited former Greater Manchester Combined Authority staff and offered incentives for some Whitehall civil servants to relocate from London.
The government says No 10 North represents a fundamental shift in where political and economic power is exercised in the UK, placing greater emphasis on local decision-making. Louise Haigh said the office will help ensure communities overlooked by Westminster are given a stronger voice in national policymaking.
The initiative forms part of the government's broader strategy to boost economic growth, support local communities and distribute power more evenly across the country.