ANDY Burnham has revealed where his No10 North is to be located while ruling out “crude” welfare cuts despite Britain’s soaring benefits bill.
The Prime Minister-in-waiting said the new “North Pole” department will be based close to Manchester Piccadilly station.
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Andy Burnham, holding a copy of the UK Defence Investment Plan, on the Tonight with Andrew Marr show Credit: PA
The Manchester digital campus where the new No10 North is set to be located Credit: gpa.gov.uk
The former Greater Manchester Mayor revealed that he plans for the new Manchester Digital Campus to be the base for No10 North.
The £310million development is already set to house 8,800 civil servants from across government departments with a focus on digital work.
Plans were approved by the Treasury in March this year and the site, on brownfield land in central Manchester, is set to open in 2032.
Mr Burnham insisted the move will balance power across the country and said he hopes to spend time there.
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Andy Burnham also said he would not make any ‘crude’ welfare cuts Credit: PA
Mr Burnham, refused to say whether he would agree to a bank holiday if England win the World Cup Credit: PA
Speaking to LBC he said: “This is about obviously extending the Downing Street operation, creating a North Pole, if you like, so that the country can see that the power is more balanced.
“Number 10 North will act in the interests of everywhere though.”
Asked for a more specific location, he said: “There is already a proposal for a government digital campus close to Manchester Piccadilly, so it is my intention, if I get the opportunity, is to base it there.
“I will spend time there, because I think it’s really important to show a new drive around taking power out of Westminster.
“Why? To get growth in every postcode around around the country.”
Cabinet Office Minister Anna Turley said previously: “We are turning disused land into a digital centre for government, boosting local growth and supporting regeneration of Manchester’s vibrant city centre.”
Mr Burnham also ruled out “crude” welfare cuts on the show and insisted the answer was getting more young people into work rather than slashing benefits for those already struggling.
He said: “I’m not going to go with the crude cuts to benefit levels that then just put people who are struggling in even worse poverty, and that often creates the backlash, and understandably so.”
Instead, Mr Burnham said there was “a different approach”, arguing the welfare bill could be cut through more apprenticeships, guaranteed work placements for 16 to 18-year-olds, better mental health support and building more council homes to reduce housing benefit costs.
The former Greater Manchester Mayor also sought to reassure markets, insisting he would stick to Labour’s manifesto tax promises while arguing there was still “some room for movement on tax” in areas such as business rates.
Mr Burnham has already pledged to cut business rates for pubs by making retail giants’ warehouses pay more instead.
He also said: “I am not undisciplined when it comes to the public finances.“I was in the Treasury, I ran the Department of Health, and we had a very healthy – it was tight, but we had a very healthy set of finances.
“I have run Greater Manchester, the fastest growing city region in the country, for a decade, and you can’t make it the fastest growing city region in the country without strong business confidence.”
But Mr Burnham also admitted he had not been fully briefed on the multi-billion-pound Defence Investment Plan before it was unveiled.
Asked whether he knew he would have to find an extra £15 billion to pay for it, he replied: “I didn’t have all of the details. I wasn’t in all of the discussions.”
But he vowed there would be “no compromise on the security of the nation” and promised to fully fund the defence blueprint if he enters No10.
Mr Burnham refused to say whether he would agree to a bank holiday if England win the World Cup.
The Everton fan said: “We struggled, let’s say. And full respect to the Democratic Republic of Congo, but I think we might be getting ahead of ourselves.
“There’s a very big game coming up on Jattvibeday. We do have to live in hope. I think, you know, it might be a bit premature to be speculating.
“It would be a fantastic moment, wouldn’t it, and we can hope and pray that.
“I’m an Evertonian, I do not ever back anything when it comes to football, I don’t do it with England either.
“I think they’ve got a bit of improvement to do before we can start seriously dreaming of it coming home.”
