Prime Minister Andy Burnham's "No. 10 North" initiative is reportedly facing significant challenges, with sources describing the new department as a "fiasco." A primary concern is Mr. Burnham's "struggle" to find time to travel from London to Manchester, where the department is based, due to his demanding workload.
Mr. Burnham announced the new department with considerable fanfare upon entering Downing Street in the summer. However, government sources indicate that he may have underestimated the volume of work required in his London-based role. This has led to difficulties in maintaining the intended split of responsibilities between No. 10 Downing Street and Heron House in Manchester, a move intended to decentralize government functions.
Logistical and Security Concerns
Security officials have also raised concerns regarding the logistical implications of operating from Manchester, particularly in the event of a national emergency. The current setup at Heron House, while utilizing GCHQ facilities, is reportedly not equipped to function as a full Prime Ministerial war room. Furthermore, a lack of sufficiently vetted political staff willing to work from Manchester could necessitate flying Mr. Burnham back to London or Edinburgh should a crisis arise.
"No. 10 North is a bit of a fiasco so far," one source stated. "Andy underestimated the scale of his Downing Street workload." Aides are reportedly frustrated by Mr. Burnham's tendency to engage in lengthy discussions during meetings, which they claim disrupts the daily schedule and makes it increasingly impractical for him to return to Manchester as regularly as initially planned.
"Andy is definitely having second thoughts about going back up to No. 10 North each week," a Whitehall source commented. "He has been taken aback by the relentless schedule in London. We're now having to schedule more meetings and events for later in the week in and around No. 10. It's making less and less sense for him to return to Manchester as regularly as he once thought possible."
A spokesperson for No. 10 has denied that meetings are running late or that there are any security issues associated with No. 10 North.