Council document doesn’t prove lease for Number 10 North was agreed before Andy Burnham was elected as Makerfield MP

A newly released council document has sparked widespread confusion over whether a lease for the Manchester-based Number 10 North offices was approved before Andy Burnham was elected as the MP for Makerfield. The document, which was shared extensively on social media, appears to detail a lease agreement for a portion of Heron House in Manchester, leading to speculation that it pertains to Number 10 North. However, both Manchester City Council and the Cabinet Office have clarified that the lease in question does not relate to the government's new office location. The document in question is a decision notice published by Manchester City Council, which outlines the approval of a new lease for a vacant second-floor office suite at Heron House on 10 June. This date precedes the announcement of Number 10 North’s planned base in the building, made by Burnham on 29 June. Social media users and members of Reform UK have questioned whether the lease was pre-agreed before Burnham assumed his role as an MP, with some suggesting it could indicate prior coordination between the government and local authorities. Burnham was elected as the MP for Makerfield in a by-election held on 18 June. His announcement regarding Number 10 North came shortly after, on 29 June. While the exact timing of discussions surrounding the establishment of Number 10 North remains unclear, the council has stated that the lease referenced in the decision notice is unrelated to the project. According to the council, the lease concerns a different section of Heron House and is for office space intended for an arms-length public body, which is not currently based in the building. The council further explained that Number 10 North is situated in a separate area of Heron House, within premises that were already leased by the government. As such, there was no need for additional planning or notification to the council regarding the use of the space. The Cabinet Office has also weighed in, noting that preparatory work for Number 10 North occurred during the Labour leadership contest, which took place after Burnham was elected as an MP. This suggests that the initial stages of setting up the facility were undertaken post-election. Reform UK politicians, including Lee Anderson MP and Sian Astley, have expressed concerns over the lease agreement, raising questions about its implications. Anderson wrote to Burnham asking whether the lease was pre-agreed before he became Prime Minister, while Astley shared the document on social media, indicating that formal inquiries would follow. These developments highlight ongoing scrutiny around the transparency and timing of decisions related to Number 10 North. Despite the controversy, the council maintains that the lease mentioned in the decision notice is distinct from the one associated with Number 10 North. It emphasized that the lease was finalized in June and that the online speculation about pre-planning the move to Heron House is inaccurate. The council also noted that the leaseholder, though unnamed, is an independent public entity not connected to the government’s new office setup. As the situation continues to unfold, the focus will remain on clarifying the relationship between the lease agreement and the broader context of Number 10 North’s establishment. With further information likely to emerge, the debate over the timing and nature of the lease will continue to shape public discourse.