Andy Burnham to Lead New No 10 North in Manchester

Andy Burnham will spend his first working day at the newly established No 10 North in Manchester this week. He is scheduled to chair the inaugural meeting of the national economic council, an initiative aimed at decentralizing economic decision-making away from London. This move signifies a broader effort to shift governmental focus and power to regions outside the capital.

The prime minister has also ordered a review of the early prisoner release scheme, which could be conducted "in the coming days and weeks," according to a government minister. This review follows the prime minister's decision to pause the scheme. The scheme, originally set to allow thousands of prisoners in England and Wales to be released early from September, faced criticism from survivors and victims' families.

The establishment of No 10 North in Manchester represents a significant step in the government's strategy to rebalance economic and political influence across the United Kingdom. The national economic council's mandate will focus on fostering regional growth and ensuring that economic policies are developed with input from across the country, not solely from Westminster or the City of London.