Prime Minister Andy Burnham has established a new government office called "No. 10 North" in Manchester, which will take over responsibility for economic growth from Westminster. According to figures released by the Cabinet Office, setting up No. 10 North has cost taxpayers nearly £49,000, or around $66,000, with items such as physically branding the office and transporting meeting chairs among the expenses. The article highlights that these costs are likely a small fraction of the total amount spent on the office, including ongoing operating costs and security expenditures estimated to be in "tens of millions" of pounds. Burnham's plan is seen as shifting power from Westminster to Manchester, but critics may view it as a costly PR stunt rather than a meaningful economic solution.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-26,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who was previously Mayor of Manchester from 2012 to 2023, has opened a new government office called "No. 10 North" at Heron House in Manchester, which will oversee economic growth for the UK government. The office's purpose is to focus on economic development, with Burnham stating that it will "get power out of Westminster," the center of British politics. However, critics argue that this new office is a unnecessary expense and may be redundant, as meetings would likely already be happening in London. According to documents obtained by Reason, the government spent at least £18,718.23 on IT infrastructure and communications for the office, as well as £8,799 on preparations for the space, £6,082.38 on event equipment, and £954.16 on transporting meeting chairs to the location. The total cost of these expenses is not yet clear, but they have been met with skepticism by those who question the need for a new office when meetings could be held in London.
Written for “Andy Burnham's Government Plan” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Great Britain is facing a host of economic woes: high youth unemployment, stagnating wages (especially compared to American workers), and a rising deficit.
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Britain → face → workers
So what is the new prime minister's grand plan to end Britain's economic malaise?
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plan → end → malaise
In July, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the opening of "No. 10 North," which is located at Heron House—a refurbished 1980s office block in Manchester, where Burnham served as mayor for almost a decade.
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Burnham → announce → decade
The government press release called it "the government's new situation room for growth," while the prime minister described it as a way "to get power out of Westminster," which is the center of political life in Britain.
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which → call → Britain
Last week, in an interview with The Times, Burnham said that No. 10 North will take over responsibility for economic growth.
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North → say → growth
"It is actually a huge transfer of power…having No 10 leading on that growth mission means you've got maximum power to unlock the blockages where they exist in the wider" governmental system.
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they → have → system
The government's big plan for economic growth is, for all intents and purposes, a new place to conduct meetings that would otherwise already be happening in London.
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that → conduct → London
"What we're bringing is a different type of energy," Caroline Simpson, the office's deputy chief of staff, told Politico.
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Simpson → bring → Politico
"That's really the point about No. 10 North—to connect our places, connect devolution back into the heart of governing."
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That → connect → governing
Whatever that means, the move has already come at a cost to taxpayers.
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move → mean → taxpayers
According to a letter from the Cabinet Office in response to a Freedom of Information request filed by Reason, simply setting up No. 10 North has cost taxpayers nearly 49,000 pounds, or more than $66,000.
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setting → accord → pounds
This includes 10,527.20 pounds (more than $14,300) on "physically branding the office," 1,768.43 pounds (about $2,400) on crockery, and 978.87 pounds (more than $1,300) on moving a replica Downing Street door to Manchester.
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This → include → Manchester
The government also spent 18,718.23 pounds (more than $25,500) on I.T. and communications infrastructure, 8,799 pounds (about $12,000) on "enabling works to the office space," 6,082.38 pounds (around $8,300) on event equipment, lighting, and flag poles, and 954.16 pounds (more than $1,300) on transporting 24 meeting chairs.
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government → spend → chairs
Of course, these sums are a drop in the bucket compared to the 1.4 trillion pounds the British government expects to spend in FY 2025–2026.
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government → compare → FY
But it is also nowhere near the total amount of taxpayer money that will be spent on this P.R. stunt.
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that → spend → stunt
The Cabinet Office did not disclose staff costs, ministerial travel, security expenditure, or ongoing operating costs in response to Reason's request.
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Office → disclose → request
But with the prime minister working from the office at least once a week, and his ministers also regularly traveling north, it won't be cheap.
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it → work → office
As The Times reported in July, security for the location costs "tens of millions" of pounds.
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security → report → pounds
The cheapest train ticket from London to Manchester can cost anywhere from $32 if purchased in advance to around $155 same-day.
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ticket → cost → 155
But sometimes, as small business owner Lewis Kemp discovered, a return ticket from Manchester to London can cost as much as $463.
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ticket → discover → 463
Sam Lister, No. 10 North's director general, has already been accused of "wasting taxpayer money," reportedly spending 800 pounds (about $1,091) per week over his "200-mile weekly commute to Manchester" from London, according to LBC News.
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Lister → accuse → News
"However much it costs, I don't think the price of security should get in the way of a government wanting to spread the centre of power further across the country," a Westminster source told The Times.
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source → cost → Times
Taxpayers may never fully know the cost of operating the two offices for the prime minister.
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Taxpayers → know → minister
Nevertheless, No. 10 North does tell us something about how politicians in Britain think.
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politicians → tell → Britain
Rather than addressing Britain's biggest problems, Burnham is pushing costly schemes, such as greater public control of utilities, more government housing, and, now, another government office building, which simply adds to the enormity of the state and exacerbates the U.K.'s economic woes.
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which → address → woes
The new office does not change bad policy, but it does make for a good photo op.
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it → change → op
