Let the gimmick begin! Burnham spends first day at temporary 'No10 North' office in Manchester after frantic clearout... amid fears of huge security bill

By JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 08:14, 24 July 2026 | Updated: 08:18, 24 July 2026 Andy Burnham is spending his first day working from a 'No10 North' office as he denies the move is just a 'gimmick'.  The PM is making great play of his decision to be based part of the week in Manchester, where his family lives and he used to be mayor. The so-called 'King of the North' wants to use the arrangements as a symbol of his drive to devolve power out of Westminster. However, construction has not even started yet on the site earmarked to become the premier's base in the city, and it will not be operational until 2032. Instead Mr Burnham is planning to head for Heron House, an existing Government office in the centre that is used by GCHQ.  Security at the building - which also hosts a pub - has been hugely increased and workers have been busily sprucing up nearby Albert Square.  No10 has insisted there will be no extra costs to the taxpayer, but experts have warned that the bill for fortifying an office for the PM and providing round-the-clock armed police will be eye-watering. Security at the building temporarily acting as 'No10 North' - which also hosts a pub - has been hugely increased Workers have been busily sprucing up the area near Albert Square Experts have warned that the bill for fortifying a regular office for the PM and providing round-the-clock armed police will be eye-watering Downing Street and much of the Government estate in Whitehall is entirely closed off from the public (Mr Burnham pictured outside No10 this week)  Downing Street and much of the Government estate in Whitehall is entirely closed off from the public. Ahead of his arrival at the Manchester offices, Mr Burnham said: 'For 40 years, power and resources have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten, without the attention and investment they deserve. 'No 10 North will change that by putting more power into every postcode across the entire country. 'It will be the situation room for making Britain better – the place we use to get power out of Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can turn things around. 'The days of Whitehall resisting devolution are over, for good.' Mr Burnham is expected to speak to leaders from business representative organisations ahead of his first No 10 North meeting, including from the Federation of Small Business and Confederation of British Industry. The Treasury approved the 'outline case' for a civil service 'digital campus' in Manchester in March this year, after being in development since the council acquired the disused retail park in 2017. That is now envisaged as the permanent 'No10 North'. Construction is due to get going at the five-acre site over the coming years but the 'target' for it becoming operational is not until 2032 - three years after the latest date for the next general election.  Construction has not even started yet on the site earmarked to become the premier's base in the city, and it will not be operational until 2032  An artist's impression of the 'digital campus' slated to be built in Manchester  Mr Burnham judged mock-ups of his promised 'No10 North' on TikTok recently - but he might not even be in power to see it up and running At that stage around 8,800 civil servants are meant to be based at the 900,000 square foot venue.  Earlier this week the PM's spokesman insisted staff are 'already working in the new No10 North'.  The official said: 'The running of No10 North will be covered by existing Cabinet Office budgets. There is no additional cost to taxpayers.' On the question of relocation packages for London-based personnel to move there, he said it is 'standard practice' for employers to support staff required to relocate. The spokesman said numbers would be detailed in due course, adding: 'We already have around 80,000 civil servants based in the North West of England, with around 700 roles moved from London to Manchester last year.'