Andy Burnham, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Makerfield and the leading candidate to become the next prime minister, is preparing to establish a northern base for Downing Street known as “Number 10 North.” The Manchester-based office is intended to serve as a national growth unit focused on driving long-term economic development outside London, reflecting Burnham’s vision of redistributing power and resources across the United Kingdom.

Plans under discussion envisage Burnham spending one or two days a week at the Manchester site, potentially on Mondays and Thursdays, balancing this presence with his parliamentary commitments. According to sources familiar with the initiative, Number 10 North will operate alongside existing government departments, including the Treasury, rather than seek to replace or weaken them. Its role would be to coordinate with various government agencies and local authorities to develop and implement growth strategies tailored to regional needs.

Burnham outlined the concept in a recent speech in Manchester, describing the office as “the nerve centre for a rewired Britain” and a conduit for delivering growth “to every postcode.” This approach aligns with his broader agenda to promote greater economic devolution and invest in public infrastructure, including re-industrialisation, enhanced public control of utilities, urban regeneration, and a large-scale expansion of council housebuilding. He has pledged to reorient the government’s £39 billion housing program, placing stronger emphasis on lower-rent council homes, although some of his advisers have suggested a more balanced approach may be adopted once policy details are finalized.

The establishment of Number 10 North is also intended to provide the prime minister with an independent economic perspective separate from Treasury advice. Observers note that the relationship between the Treasury and Downing Street could face challenges, as the Treasury, under Chancellor Rachel Reeves, currently oversees the government’s growth mission. Some Treasury insiders have expressed concern about the chancellor’s role if Number 10 North assumes significant responsibility for growth policy implementation.

The Government Property Agency is evaluating multiple locations in Manchester’s city centre to house the northern base, with considerations for security and proximity to existing civil service offices. There is potential for Number 10 North to be located within a new government campus scheduled to open in 2031, for which funding and planning permission are already in place.

Caroline Simpson, Burnham’s former chief executive of Greater Manchester, is expected to lead Number 10 North as deputy chief of staff, marking a rapid ascent in her public sector career. Her experience in local regeneration projects, such as those in Stockport, underscores the office’s focus on regional economic renewal.

An ally close to Burnham emphasized that positioning Simpson as head of the northern base signals a firm commitment to the project’s importance, distinguishing it from a symbolic presence to a substantive operational hub. Number 10 North is thus poised to play a central role in Burnham’s strategy to reshape regional economic governance and foster inclusive growth across the UK.