Andy Burnham has promised to turn Manchester into a new political "nerve centre", with a dedicated base called No. 10 North that would house civil servants and ministers and shift power away from the capital. The man widely expected to become the next prime minister in July 2026 has made devolution—or "devo-maxxing"—the centrepiece of his pitch to govern, arguing that the Westminster system is "broken" and that too much tax and decision-making remains concentrated in London. But what exactly is No. 10 North, and could it really rebalance the country?
The concept is simple: a new government office in Ancoats, on the edge of Manchester city centre, built on brownfield land and designed to bring together roughly 8,800 staff from multiple departments. The site, known as the Manchester Digital Campus, is expected to be fully operational by 2032 and will provide about 900,000 sq ft of workspace across two buildings. The business case was signed off by the Treasury in March 2026. Burnham's team is also looking for an interim city-centre base until the Ancoats site is completed, which is not due before 2028. As Greater Manchester mayor, Burnham worked from the Tootal Buildings on Oxford Street; the city council's town hall is undergoing a £500m renovation due to finish in spring 2027.
“An explainer on Andy Burnham's No. 10 North plan and devolution promise.”
The idea of moving parts of government north is not new. Tony Blair devolved powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland after 1997; George Osborne promoted a "Northern Powerhouse"; and Boris Johnson talked about "levelling up". Yet the UK remains one of the most centralised major economies, with a far greater share of tax revenue going to central government than almost any other. Burnham has promised "the biggest rebalancing of power" the country has seen, but his first major policy speech was also cautious, pledging not to take risks with the public finances. He repeated the slogan "growth in every postcode, and hope in every heart".
For UK readers outside London, No. 10 North could mean more ministerial visits, faster decisions on local transport and housing, and a genuine shift in where power is held. But critics might note that previous devolution promises have faded. Burnham has appointed Caroline Simpson, chief executive of Greater Manchester Combined Authority, to head his northern operations. Henri Murison of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership said a regular ministerial presence outside Whitehall "would strengthen decision-making and bring government closer to the communities it serves". Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire, said more power for regional mayors "will help us lower the cost of living, regenerate our high streets and enable good growth across our regions".
### Key questions answered
Q: Will the prime minister actually move to Manchester? Burnham has said he would split his time living between London and Greater Manchester, using No. 10 North as a base when he is in the north. The idea is not to abandon Downing Street but to create a second nerve centre.
Q: How is No. 10 North being funded? The site in Ancoats is a civil service base already under construction on brownfield land. Its business case was formally approved by the Treasury in March 2026. No additional public spending figures have been announced beyond the existing project budget.
Q: What is "devo-max" and how is it different from existing devolution? "Devo-max" means giving regions maximum control over tax, spending and policy. Currently, English regions have limited powers compared to Scotland or Wales. Burnham wants to transfer more power to regional mayors, building on the model he used as mayor of Greater Manchester.
### What happens next Burnham is expected to become prime minister in late July 2026 after Sir Keir Starmer steps down. His first major speech on 29 June 2026 laid out the vision, and he is due to give an economics speech that former minister Al Carns said he would listen to before deciding whether to challenge for the leadership (Carns needs 81 Labour MP nominations to stand). The No. 10 North site in Ancoats will not be completed before 2028, so an interim office will be found. The government's Defence Investment Plan is due before a Nato summit on 7 July, which will test how Burnham balances devolution with national security spending.