Andy Burnham opens new Number 10 North offices in Manchester
Prime Minister Andy Burnham officially opened the new Number 10 North offices in Manchester, joined by ministers Lucy Powell and Louise Haigh.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham opened the new Number 10 North offices in Manchester on Friday, fulfilling a key promise to shift power away from Westminster. The temporary base, located in Heron House in the city centre, also houses GCHQ and will be used by Burnham at least one day a week. Senior ministers including Lucy Powell, Louise Haigh and Angela Rayner will also work from the site regularly.
Burnham described the opening as "the best day of my life" and insisted the move was not a gimmick. He called the office "the nerve centre for a rewired Britain" and said it would be "the situation room for growth" where regional mayors and Whitehall departments could make decisions more quickly. The first meeting of the re-established National Economic Council was held inside, bringing together cabinet members, business leaders and elected mayors from across the country.
The long-term plan involves a digital campus on the outskirts of Manchester, expected to be completed by 2032 and capable of housing up to 8,000 civil servants. The government says the initiative will ensure economic growth in every postcode, but critics have questioned the cost and whether it will benefit areas outside the North West. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called it a gimmick, while some Labour MPs from other regions expressed concern that Manchester would receive disproportionate attention.
Burnham defended the project by asking what it costs for people to travel to London for every meeting, arguing that a "North Pole" balances the "South Pole" of the country. Outside the building, crowds gathered to witness the historic moment, and local business owners expressed hope that the presence of government decision-makers would lead to better understanding of regional needs. The opening capped a busy first week for the Prime Minister, which also saw announcements on bus fares, electricity bills and business rates for pubs and live music venues.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC NEWS | BBC One | BBC Two | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A 20% cut in business rates for hospitality venues in England will take effect from April next year. | · | |||||||
| Andy Burnham will work from No. 10 North one day a week. | · | · | ||||||
| The Prime Minister paused the early release scheme and ordered an urgent review; a prison officer described the pause as a 'bonkers decision' and warned prisons could reach full capacity by November. | · | · | · | · | ||||
| Andy Burnham announced he will be the first Prime Minister to work from Number 10 North, convene a national economic council with mayors, and said the days of power being hoarded in SW1 are over. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| The discount will be funded by cutting tax relief for businesses that cause social harm, such as vape shops and gambling arcades. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| The early release scheme was introduced by the government and passed by Parliament earlier this year to ease overcrowding. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| Andy Burnham opened the new No. 10 North offices in Manchester on 24 July 2026. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| Ministers Lucy Powell and Louise Haigh will work regularly from the No. 10 North site. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| The new Number 10 North office is intended to rebalance power away from Westminster. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| The prison officers' union NAPO and some prison governors welcomed the pause in the early release scheme, with calls for investment or prioritising public safety. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| The widow of PC Andrew Harper criticised the early release scheme. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| Up to 300 civil servants are expected to join the No. 10 North site by the end of next year. | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News covered the opening of Number 10 North in its later bulletins, focusing on the symbolism and the Prime Minister's personal connection to Manchester. The channel highlighted the security arrangements and the temporary nature of the site, while also noting the scepticism from the Conservatives. It gave airtime to the Prime Minister's own words about the office being a 'situation room for growth' and included reaction from a local tour guide and a business owner.
- “I cannot tell you what a proud moment this is. I think this might be the best day of my life.”
- “This is the place where Whitehall meets the rest of the country. I've called it the nerve centre for a rewired Britain.”
BBC News did not cover the opening of Number 10 North in the provided transcripts. Its coverage focused entirely on the business rates cut for pubs and the government's cost-of-living announcements. The channel gave extensive airtime to industry reaction and political analysis, but did not mention the Manchester office opening.
BBC One West did not report on the opening of Number 10 North in the provided transcripts. Its coverage centred on the business rates cut for pubs, with local reaction from Stroud and a focus on the impact on small businesses. The channel included messages from viewers and a comparison with the Conservative policy on business rates.
ITV1 provided detailed coverage of the Number 10 North opening across its lunchtime and evening bulletins. The channel emphasised the Prime Minister's emotional reaction ('best day of my life') and the practical implications for regional devolution. It included interviews with local business owners and a sceptical accountant from Stoke-on-Trent, balancing the positive tone with questions about cost and focus on Manchester.
- “I think this might be the best day of my life.”
- “What does it cost for everybody to troop down to London every time there's a meeting when you need to make an argument about something? What does that cost?”
Channel 5 covered the opening of Number 10 North in its lunchtime bulletin, focusing on the Prime Minister's declaration that it was the best day of his life and the presence of ministers Lucy Powell and Louise Haigh. The channel also noted the long-term plan for a digital campus and the scepticism from some quarters, but kept the report concise.
- “Andy Burnham has opened the new No. 10 North offices in Manchester today. Ministers Lucy Powell and Louise Haigh will also operate regularly from the new site, with up to 300 civil servants expected to join them by the end of next year.”
Channel 4 News provided a comprehensive report on the opening, including the Prime Minister's emotional reaction and the presence of a fake Number 10 door. The channel highlighted the security arrangements and the surreal mix of government business with wedding parties outside. It included interviews with a devolution expert and the Conservative mayor's party leader, offering a balanced view of the potential impact.
- “I cannot tell you what a proud moment this is. I think this might be the best day of my life.”
- “This is about political power moving not just to a different government office, but actually moving out of government entirely.”
GB News did not cover the opening of Number 10 North in the provided transcripts. Its coverage focused on the early prisoner release pause and the Southport killer's transfer to Broadmoor. The channel's evening and late-night programmes discussed these issues with guests, with no mention of the Manchester office.
BBC Two's Newsnight dedicated a segment to the Number 10 North opening, framing it as a potential game changer or gimmick. The channel brought together a panel of commentators and interviewed the Labour mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard. The tone was analytical, questioning whether the move would genuinely devolve power or simply be a branch office. The programme also reviewed the Prime Minister's first week of announcements.
- “I cannot tell you what a proud moment. This is I think this might be the best day of my life”
- “This is about political power moving not just to a different government office, but actually moving out of government entirely.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.