Key facts
- Civil servants working for London-based government departments have been offered relocation packages to move to No 10 North in Manchester.
- No 10 North, a new branch of Downing Street, will be led by Louise Haigh, who will also head a new Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (OPMC).
- The OPMC will oversee key decision-making bodies, including No 10, No 10 North, and Cabinet Office teams.
- The initial base for No 10 North will be Heron House in Manchester, with a new 'Digital Campus' planned for completion by 2032.
- The initiative aims to employ around 300 staff within 18 months, drawing from departments like the Treasury and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
- No 10 North will spearhead devolution efforts, transferring power and strategic decision-making on local economic growth from Whitehall to the regions.
Whitehall officials have been offered relocation packages to move to a new government hub in Manchester, dubbed No 10 North. This initiative, spearheaded by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, aims to decentralize power from London and drive economic growth in the North of England.
Louise Haigh, First Secretary of State, is set to lead the new Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (OPMC), which will encompass No 10 North and other key government decision-making bodies. Baroness Angela Smith, Leader of the House of Lords, stated that No 10 North would be a significant force in the UK's economy.
The initial base for No 10 North will be Heron House in central Manchester, with a long-term plan for a new 'Digital Campus' in Ancoats, expected to be completed by 2032. A report by the Re:State think tank outlines a recruitment plan for approximately 300 staff within 18 months, involving the transfer of teams from departments such as the Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
This move is central to Burnham's agenda of devolving power from Whitehall to the regions, with strategic decisions on devolution and local economic growth shifting away from central government departments.