Manchester, United Kingdom. British Cypriot MP Nesil Caliskan has been moved to Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s new No 10 North structure as part of an initiative to relocate government offices and functions from London to Manchester.
Caliskan has served as parliamentary undersecretary of state for devolution, local growth and communities since May, a role previously based within the housing ministry.
Transfer to No 10 North
Lord Privy Seal Angela Smith announced on Tuesday that Caliskan’s office would be transferred from the housing ministry to the new structure.
“To ensure places are at the very heart of government strategy, the prime minister is establishing No 10 North as the engine room of devolution and good growth in every postcode, across government and the wider economy,” Smith said.
She said the move would ensure that local economic growth policy and regional empowerment were no longer isolated from one another, establishing No 10 North as a driver of the UK economy.
Manchester relocation plans
The name No 10 North refers to 10 Downing Street, the UK prime minister’s official residence in London.
Burnham has said the relocation of government offices and functions to Manchester would represent “the biggest rebalancing of power our country has ever seen” and described No 10 North as the “nerve centre of a rewired Britain”.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the plan, saying Burnham “doesn’t know what to do so he wants to pass the problem to someone else”.
Caliskan’s parliamentary role
Caliskan represents the London constituency of Barking. She was appointed to the undersecretary role in May by Burnham’s predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer.
