Ninety Labour MPs Want Industrial HQ in Manchester

More than 90 Labour backbenchers issued a warning on Monday that the government's plan to rebuild Britain's industrial base will fail unless it is led from Manchester. The group, chaired by Andy MacNae MP for Rossendale and Darwen, submitted a briefing paper arguing that the prime minister must establish a dedicated command center for this effort.

The MPs want Andy Burnham to introduce a Reindustrialisation Act. This legislation would set specific targets for creating manufacturing jobs and hold ministers accountable for meeting them. The paper argues that decades of deindustrialisation have left the state with less knowledge about the economy and slower decision-making processes. The group states that without a clear plan, the country cannot achieve industrial growth.

The backbenchers recommend that Louise Haigh, the first secretary, oversee the initiative from No 10 North. Burnham opened this Manchester outpost in July, and it already handles some growth policy. The group also proposes transforming the National Wealth Fund into a Reindustrialisation Development Corporation. This body would focus on providing capital to rebuild UK industry rather than just investing in promising businesses.

MacNae said he trusts the commitment of Burnham and Chancellor John Healey. Healy will deliver his first budget on Wednesday. MacNae criticized the civil service for believing that growth policy should only focus on cities that are already doing well. He argued that the new approach must deliver jobs to areas that need them most and manufacture goods that provide national resilience.

Steve Yemm, MP for Mansfield, noted that other nations are reindustrialising. He said many officials in Whitehall still view industrial policy as dangerous nostalgia. He called for full support from the prime minister to challenge these assumptions. Lorraine Beavers, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, expressed enthusiasm for the potential benefits for her constituency. She added that Whitehall does not fix problems unless explicitly told to.

The government's industrial strategy, published while Keir Starmer was prime minister, identified eight sectors for growth including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and defence. At the Labour conference last month, Healey promised a new age of industrialisation. He spoke alongside a young apprentice who helped build a new Mersey ferry. Healey said Labour would achieve good growth in every postcode through good work and jobs.