Andy Burnham's Reindustrialisation Plan Needs No 10 North Leadership, Say 90+ Labour MPs

More than 90 backbench Labour MPs are warning that Andy Burnham's pledge to reindustrialise Britain will fail unless it is driven decisively from his new 'No 10 North' outpost in Manchester. The MPs argue that the civil service currently lacks the necessary skills to drive growth in the regions that need it most, and that the plan should be steered by Louis Haigh from Manchester. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested that rebuilding the UK's industrial capacity will be central to his promise of 'good growth in every postcode'. The MPs believe that without strong leadership from the North, the reindustrialisation agenda risks being diluted by Whitehall's London-centric focus. This intervention underscores the political pressure on Burnham to deliver tangible economic renewal outside the capital, as Labour seeks to prove its commitment to levelling up. The future of Britain's industrial strategy may hinge on whether power and expertise are genuinely devolved to the North.