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UK mayor Andy Burnham to chair national economic council at No 10 North
The inaugural meeting on Friday will bring together senior ministers and regional mayors to focus on devolution and growth aligned with the Treasury.
UK Labour mayor Andy Burnham said regional mayors will be given a leading role in UK economic policy as part of the new “No 10 North” plan, including chairing the inaugural meeting of the revived national economic council. The Guardian reports Burnham is aiming to place more decision making with regional leaders rather than keeping it centered in London.
Burnham described the council as a renewed push for urgency and collective action on growth, reviving an entity first set up by Gordon Brown during the 2008 financial crash. He said the shift is part of ending what he characterized as a prolonged period of fighting devolution, arguing that power sharing should benefit the whole government.
The Guardian reports Burnham will chair the first council meeting on Friday, with senior ministers and regional mayors set to attend, and he framed the effort as being in close alignment with the Treasury. The plan also includes Burnham running the government from Manchester on a weekly basis, with “Heron House” in central Manchester named as an interim headquarters for No 10 North.
The Guardian also noted Burnham has created a new prime minister’s department that combines parts of the Cabinet Office, Treasury, and the housing ministry, described as intended to be a dominant driver of the UK economy. The outlet said this could create an apparent tension with the No 10 North plan, given the parallel emphasis on Treasury alignment.