Andy Burnham, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Makerfield and former mayor of Greater Manchester, is reportedly preparing to relocate parts of his Downing Street operation to Manchester if he becomes the next prime minister. His plans, which include establishing a “No 10 in the North,” reflect his longstanding criticism of what he describes as a Westminster-centric political system that he believes hampers the UK economy.

Burnham’s ascent toward Labour leadership has accelerated following the withdrawal of Darren Jones, a key ally of current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, from the race. Jones’s decision removes a significant contender and leaves Burnham with fewer obstacles on his path to becoming the UK’s fifth prime minister in four years. Another potential challenger, former armed forces minister Al Carns, has not yet ruled out a bid but faces uncertain support within the party.

Burnham is expected to elaborate on his devolution plans in a speech scheduled for Monday. He has pledged to govern according to a “Makerfield test,” where new policies would be assessed based on their impact on his new constituency. Sources indicate that Burnham has informed his staff to anticipate spending considerable time in Manchester if he assumes office.

In a separate development, former US President Donald Trump commented on Burnham during a meeting with the NATO secretary general at the White House. Trump described Burnham as “extremely liberal” and speculated that he would likely oppose opening up North Sea oil resources. Trump also criticized the UK’s current economic state, suggesting that previous energy policies, including those promoted under Labour, had been detrimental. He expressed a political divergence with Burnham, underscoring differing approaches between the two leaders.

Meanwhile, Downing Street confirmed that Sir Keir Starmer will remain an MP after resigning as prime minister but indicated he is unlikely to serve in a future Burnham government. Starmer’s spokesperson reiterated that his departure marks “the end of my journey,” while encouraging ministers to continue their work. Despite an earlier commitment to avoid the controversies surrounding Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, Downing Street did not rule out the possibility that Starmer might issue his own honours list, stating it would be premature to comment.

If Burnham secures the leadership, he could enter Downing Street as early as July 18, provided no other candidate obtains the necessary 81 parliamentary endorsements to challenge his bid. The coming weeks are expected to finalize the Labour leadership transition amid ongoing discussions about the party’s direction and the devolution of power beyond London.