Labour MPs have expressed concerns over Andy Burnham’s reported plans to split his time between London and Greater Manchester if he becomes prime minister, questioning whether an emphasis on the North could disadvantage constituencies in the South. Burnham is widely expected to assume office before the end of July and has proposed establishing a “No 10 North” base as part of what he describes as the country’s most significant power rebalancing effort in decades.

If Burnham chooses not to live full-time at Downing Street, he would be the first prime minister since Harold Wilson to do so. This prospect has unsettled some southern Labour MPs, who worry that their areas could be overlooked in favour of northern interests. Several MPs voiced apprehension that focusing investment and attention disproportionately on the North might prompt dissatisfaction within the Parliamentary Labour Party and harm the party’s electoral prospects in southern England.

Burnham has defended his devolution agenda, stating it aims to grant English regions greater control over matters such as housing and transport by transferring key economic powers away from senior Whitehall civil servants. He emphasized that the initiative is intended to redistribute power and resources across the United Kingdom, not to advantage one area over another.

Despite these assurances, some Labour MPs doubt that benefits from the planned changes will materialize promptly. A southern MP highlighted the risk that wavering Labour voters in their region might feel neglected as they hear about opportunities centred in Manchester. Another northern MP, while supportive of Burnham, cautioned against an exclusive focus on Manchester, urging consideration for other major cities like Leeds, Newcastle, Durham, Birmingham, and Sheffield, underscoring that the country’s economic and political landscape extends beyond just two urban centres.

Burnham has argued that the core challenge is not a North-South divide but rather an imbalance between London and the rest of the country. In a recent address, he suggested that an underperforming regional economy exacerbates problems in London and the South East, including an overheated housing market and overcrowding. This framing received support from social mobility expert Lee Elliot Major, who described Britain’s opportunity gap as primarily a “London versus the rest” issue rather than a simple North-South split.

Some southern Labour MPs concurred with Burnham’s diagnosis that excessive power remains concentrated in Westminster and that unequal distribution of wealth and opportunity affects constituencies nationwide. One noted that the success of Burnham’s agenda hinges on its ability to serve all four nations of the UK and all regions of England, expecting clear messaging early in his premiership affirming his commitment to governing for the entire country, not just the North.