Andy Burnham has set out plans for the new "No 10 North" office in Manchester to take charge of driving UK economic growth, shifting that responsibility away from the Treasury as part of a wider effort to disperse power out of Whitehall. Speaking to The Times, the prime minister said the Treasury would continue to oversee public finances while his Manchester outpost led on growth, arguing that combining the two roles had previously clouded the growth agenda. He said chancellor John Healey fully supported the change, describing it as part of a "huge transfer of power".

The No 10 North office, based at Heron House in Manchester, is already operational and officials say it will not cost taxpayers extra money, with Burnham expected to work there roughly once a week. He also reflected on his premiership so far, acknowledging a "bumpy" start over the early release of prisoners, but said justice secretary Alex Norris would unveil a "much better solution" on 1 September following pressure over the planned release of two of Pc Andrew Harper's killers. Burnham added that the sheer scale and relentlessness of the job had been the biggest adjustment, and rejected the idea that being "tough" or unpopular was the point of politics, saying the goal should be to make people's lives better.