Manchester Industrial Push: 90 Labour MPs Demand HQ Move

More than 90 Labour backbench MPs issued a warning this week that Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s reindustrialisation pledge will fail unless operations move decisively to Manchester. The group released a briefing paper arguing that the government has lost the detailed understanding of industry necessary to rebuild manufacturing capacity. The document states that decades of deregulation have left the state less knowledgeable about the economy and slower to make decisions.

The MPs want Burnham to pass a Reindustrialisation Act. This legislation would set clear targets for creating jobs by rebuilding manufacturing and hold ministers accountable for meeting those goals. The group argues that comprehensive planning is essential for success. They specifically urge the prime minister to place oversight of the effort with First Secretary Louise Haigh and base it at No 10 North, the government outpost established in Manchester in July.

The paper also proposes transforming the National Wealth Fund into a Reindustrialisation Development Corporation. This new body would focus on providing capital to rebuild UK industry. The current fund operates as an arm’s-length body investing in promising businesses, but the MPs believe a dedicated corporation is needed to drive the shift.

Andy MacNae, the MP for Rossendale and Darwen and chair of the group, expressed confidence in Burnham and Chancellor John Healey. However, he identified an inertia within the civil service that treats growth policy as a tool for already successful cities. MacNae said the strategy must instead deliver jobs to areas that need them most and produce goods that provide national resilience. He cited the recent nationalisation of British Steel as evidence of the policy's scope.

Steve Yemm, MP for Mansfield, noted that other nations are actively reindustrialising. He described a perception in Whitehall that views industrial policy as dangerous nostalgia. Yemm called for full prime ministerial backing to challenge these assumptions. Lorraine Beavers, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, echoed the need for direct instruction. She stated that Whitehall does not fix problems unless explicitly told to do so.

The call for action follows a conference speech by Healey last month. Healey, who delivers his first budget on Wednesday, promised a new age of industrialisation. He highlighted the goal of good growth in every postcode. Labour’s industrial strategy, published under Keir Starmer, identified eight sectors for growth, including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and defence.