New northern office signals shift in UK governance
Regional mayors will play a key role in UK policymaking, Andy Burnham has said as he declared the era of Whitehall resisting devolution “over for good,” reports BritPanorama.
The Prime Minister emphasized this shift by announcing the opening of the new No 10 North office in Manchester, calling it “the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen.” He is set to work from this location for the first time on Friday.
No 10 North, situated in Heron House near Albert Square, will be a regular working site for the Prime Minister, who plans to visit once a week during his term. This office will also house GCHQ’s Manchester and North West hub.
His inaugural engagement will be chairing a National Economic Council meeting, a cabinet committee established in 2008 to tackle economic issues. In an article for The Guardian, Burnham stated that meetings would involve regional mayors alongside senior ministers.
The government confirmed that attendees for these meetings may vary based on the agenda and could include prominent business leaders and trade union representatives.
Burnham expressed his belief that No 10 North would be the government’s “most defining” act. “No 10 North will be responsible for accelerating devolution. It will drive reindustrialisation and growth across every postcode of the UK. It will remove barriers to regeneration, from council housebuilding to public transport infrastructure,” he stated.
Earlier, the Prime Minister acknowledged that for 40 years, power and resources had been “sucked into the centre,” leaving many communities feeling neglected. He added: “No 10 North will change that by putting more power into every postcode across the entire country.” He described it as the “situation room for making Britain better,” aiming to transfer power from Westminster to local hands.
Prior to his first meeting at the northern office, Burnham is scheduled to engage with leaders from business representative organizations, including the Federation of Small Business and the Confederation of British Industry.
However, the Prime Minister’s focus on the North has raised concerns regarding potential neglect of other areas, like the East of England. In response, he clarified during a visit to Harlow, Essex, that the aim of No 10 North is to empower all regions across the country.
“How do we get power out of Whitehall and Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can make a difference?” he posed. He further noted that communities feeling forgotten are not exclusive to the North.
While this new northern base signifies a substantial shift in governmental operations, No 10 Downing Street in central London will continue to function as usual.
