On July 24, 2026, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham began his tenure by relocating part of Downing Street’s operations to Manchester, establishing what is being called Number 10 North. This move aims to promote growth "in every postcode across the whole of the UK," according to Burnham.

Hours before King Charles and Queen Camilla opened the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Burnham met in person with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth. A meeting with Northern Ireland’s First and Deputy First Ministers is planned for August.

On July 21, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal, confirmed that devolution and local growth policy functions are being transferred from the housing ministry and the Treasury to the new Manchester-based operation.

Mirte Boot of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) North commented that Number 10 North "establishes the plumbing, but the water isn’t flowing yet," highlighting early stages of the initiative.

Despite the move, the UK remains highly centralized fiscally, with the Centre for Cities think tank noting that 95 percent of tax revenue flows directly to Whitehall, the UK government’s central administration.

Scotland’s First Minister Swinney responded critically, stating that "rhetoric alone will not cut it" and emphasized that four consecutive Holyrood elections have given his party a mandate for Scottish self-determination, which he claims Westminster continues to ignore.

Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth expressed a more cooperative stance but cautioned that he expects "that Number 10 North would not become Whitehall with a different postcode."

This development marks a significant test of Burnham’s approach to governance and devolution within the UK.

Sources