Civil servants currently based in central London have been offered relocation packages to encourage a move to the North of England, as part of an initiative to establish a new branch of Downing Street. According to a source close to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, this new hub, referred to as No 10 North, is already operational.
The initial base for the office is Heron House in central Manchester, a building that also houses offices for the intelligence agency GCHQ and has been observed under guard by specialist police officers. While this serves as the immediate location, the long-term future of No 10 North is expected to be at a government "Digital Campus" currently under construction in the Ancoats area of Manchester. Completion of that facility is not anticipated before 2032.
While official details regarding the branch remain limited, a report released on Tuesday by the Re:State think tank—with which Burnham was previously involved—offers insight into the project. The blueprint outlines a recruitment strategy aimed at hiring from across Greater Manchester and the wider North of England, with a target of employing approximately 300 staff within 18 months. The plan suggests transferring teams from key Whitehall departments, including the Treasury, the Cabinet Office, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, all of which are currently led by secretaries of state from the North of England.
A significant shift of personnel is also expected from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), where Andy Burnham previously served as mayor. Reports indicate that at least three senior figures have already agreed to join the new office. Some staff within the GMCA expressed surprise at the move, noting they only became aware of their colleagues' transition after seeing them on television alongside the new prime minister in Downing Street.
The Re:State report further proposes that a secretary of state should be appointed to lead No 10 North, supported by a resident junior minister, though no such announcements have been made by the prime minister. Further formal details regarding these government changes are expected to be disclosed in the House of Lords as ongoing appointments continue.
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