Regional mayors to take key roles in UK policy decisions as part of No 10 North plans

Burnham says ‘no one in government loses when power is shared’ as he revives Brown-era national economic council It’s not just a No 10 in the north, it’s an engine for growth throughout the whole UK | Andy Burnham Regional mayors are to be given a leading role in the UK’s economic policy, Andy Burnham has said, as he called the opening of No 10 North “the biggest rebalancing of power our country has seen”. The new prime minister has revived the national economic council [NEC], first set up by Gordon Brown to put the government on a war footing during the 2008 financial crash, arguing that economic growth requires the same level of urgency, focus and collective action. In an article for the Guardian, he wrote: “When I entered Downing Street, I told staff that the era of fighting devolution is over. No one in government loses when power is shared.” Burnham will chair the inaugural meeting of the council on Friday, bringing together senior ministers and regional mayors to put devolution at the heart of his government’s mission. Burnham wrote: “Even though Whitehall departments have set up outposts, decision-making power has remained in London … This is what No 10 North is seeking to c