On his first day at the newly established No 10 North in Manchester, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham championed the initiative as a significant move towards decentralizing power from London. Burnham emphasized that the new office marks “the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen.” While addressing criticisms about the setup’s expenses, he argued that the office would aid in creating “a more balanced country” by enabling major national decisions to be made outside of the capital.
During a meeting with the National Economic Council, Burnham celebrated the opening of the office, calling it “the best day of my life,” though he humorously noted that his wife might not share the same sentiment. The Prime Minister assured regional mayors that No 10 North would collaborate closely with local leaders to stimulate economic growth throughout the country. He explained that the initiative aims to make central government and regional authorities work as “one team,” simplifying processes for local leaders who often have to deal with multiple government departments.
In other political news, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner acknowledged the difficulty of reaching the government’s goal of constructing 1.5 million homes during this Parliament. However, she maintained that the target would not be abandoned. Rayner also dismissed the idea of implementing rent controls, arguing that recent reforms in renters’ rights are already impacting the housing market.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) criticized the government’s newly announced cost-of-living measures, which include reduced bus fares, lower VAT on electricity bills, and business rate relief for pubs and clubs, as insufficient for supporting households. Meanwhile, ministers indicated that a review of the government’s early prisoner release scheme is anticipated in the coming weeks.
Additionally, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey encouraged Burnham to adopt a tougher stance against US President Donald Trump following the imposition of new tariffs on imports from over 80 countries. Davey described Trump as “a bully and an unreliable ally.” The launch of No 10 North is part of the government’s broader agenda to decentralize decision-making and promote economic growth across various UK regions.