No10 North Takes Control of Economic Growth from Treasury
Prime Minister shifts key economic responsibilities to Manchester office amid rising inflation and claims of a 'bumpy' start to premiership.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Sarah Connor
Andy Burnham is stripping responsibility for economic growth from the Treasury, assigning it to No10 North.
Hundreds of the Treasury's 2,000 posts are reportedly relocating from London to Manchester, with the new Downing Street office becoming operational on a Friday at no additional taxpayer cost.
The Treasury will now focus on controlling public finances, while No10 North, operating from Heron House in Manchester’s city centre, is set to lead the country's 'growth mission'.
The Prime Minister describes this strategy as a 'huge transfer of power'.
Andy Burnham stated, “There’s a job to be done around control of public finances. It’s just the dual job of growth and control of public finances (that) sometimes clouds the growth mission.”
And particularly having No 10 leading on that growth mission means you’ve got maximum power to unlock the blockages where they exist in the wider Whitehall system.
He further explained, “And particularly having No 10 leading on that growth mission means you’ve got maximum power to unlock the blockages where they exist in the wider Whitehall system.”
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner affirmed the Chancellor has not been pushed aside by No10 North, stating, “The Chancellor is working really hard with the Prime Minister, with myself and other Cabinet colleagues.”
Rayner also highlighted the Cabinet's clear intent to place devolution and community empowerment at the heart of this Government, ensuring partners feel empowered to drive local economies.
The Prime Minister is expected to work at the No 10 North outpost once a week.
Inflation in the UK rose to 2.9% in July.
Andy Burnham claims the UK is not set up for growth, stating, “And we’re not set up for growth, in the way you have to have a grip over those things to be set up for growth.”
He added, “I would say it’s highly pragmatic, because if you don’t have the ability to shape those fundamental enabling services, you don’t control the destiny of the place you’re leading. You don’t have a handle on the levers of growth.”
Justice Secretary Alex Norris is scheduled to present a new solution regarding the early release of prisoners on September 1, following what the Prime Minister confessed was a 'bumpy' introduction to his premiership due to a furious row over the issue.
The Prime Minister admitted his initial policy announcements since becoming PM on 20 July had not been 'earth-shattering', but questioned, “Isn’t the job to be popular by making people’s lives better?”
He concluded, “Isn’t that what you should be doing? I’m very pleased with the start that we’ve made. We just need this to be a better period than we’ve had for a while.”
Despite the Prime Minister's assertion that the Chancellor fully supports the move, the Tories have dismissed No10 North as a 'gimmick'.