Meet the civil servant tasked with the ambitious mission of reshaping governance under Andy Burnham’s vision to decentralize power from the traditional London hub. The effort aims to establish a significant government presence in Manchester.
However, surprising scenes unfolded last Monday as Sam Lister was spotted departing his stylish £2.2 million townhouse in the fashionable Islington district. Contrary to expectations, he commenced his workweek on familiar territory—within the iconic corridors of Whitehall.
Exclusive details from The Mail on Sunday reveal Lister, who recently assumed the title of Director General for No 10 North, hasn’t set concrete plans to relocate his family to Manchester. Despite the symbolic importance of the role, the allure of life in the capital remains strong for his household.
Currently, Mondays see Lister stationed at the Cabinet Office in London. Come Tuesday morning, he’s on the first train heading north, setting the stage for his midweek Manchester grind.
Once in the city famed for its industrial heritage, Lister splits his time between the temporary No 10 North headquarters and a luxury hotel in the city center. Yet, as the week winds down, he returns to London on Friday evenings, completing his transitory journey.
Including meals, his taxpayer-funded trips to and from Manchester come to an estimated £800 a week – enough, annually, to pay the wages of a new junior doctor.
Downing Street sources insisted that Mr Lister is very keen on his new role, though has yet to decide on his family’s living arrangements.
A source said: ‘Sam has only been in the job for three weeks, so there are wider things to think about, which takes time.’
Pictured: Sam Lister, the civil servant tasked with delivering Andy Burnham’s pledge to end centuries of London-centric government – despite himself living in Islington
While in Manchester Mr Lister stayed at the Manchester Deansgate Hotel, a 24-storey building boasting an indoor pool, spa and sauna, and Cloud 23 (pictured) – a 23rd floor bar offering panoramic city views
The 52-year-old, who has previously been a journalist and held roles across the departments of health, business and culture, boarded the 6.29am Avanti service from Euston last Tuesday, travelling in standard class on a return ticket costing more than £220.
He was joined on the same carriage by Will Davis, Director of Devolution and Local Growth at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with the pair seen chatting and working on laptops throughout the journey.
Also on the train was Harriet Gordon, 34, a Cambridge-educated deputy director at the Treasury.
Heron House, a 15-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly, was previously best known as the northern hub of GCHQ. It now houses No 10 North alongside a Slug & Lettuce pub and the Manchester Register Office, as well as Wing’s, the Chinese restaurant favoured by Wayne Rooney.
Mr Lister and Mr Davis stayed at the Manchester Deansgate Hotel, a 24-storey building boasting an indoor pool, spa and sauna, and Cloud 23, a 23rd floor bar offering panoramic city views.
On Friday, dressed down in a pale blue shirt and maroon trousers, Mr Lister left Heron House at 5pm sharp and took the tram to Piccadilly for the 5.34pm train to Euston, treating himself to a seat in Standard Premium – though Downing Street sources stressed he paid for the upgrade himself.
Most of the officials who travelled up earlier in the week made the journey home on Thursday evening, with more than a dozen seen dragging suitcases towards Piccadilly shortly after 6pm to catch the 7.14pm to Euston.
No 10 said it is advertising for permanent roles at the office, which could employ up to 300. Mr Burnham announced the creation of No 10 North as his flagship policy within days of becoming Prime Minister, promising it would shift power away from Westminster.
Mr Lister on the train from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the newly appointed Director General of No 10 North has no current plans to swap his life in London for Manchester
Pictured from left to right: Chief executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Caroline Simpson, Britain’s Minister of State in the Cabinet Office Louise Haigh, Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service Antonia Romeo, Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey and Department for Business and Trade director general, Sam Lister
Critics have dismissed it as a ‘gimmick’ and little more than an excuse for officials to work from home on Fridays.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: ‘The worst bit about it is the cost and the complete pointlessness of it.’
Tory MP Greg Stafford said: ‘If anything shows what a farce the idea of No 10 North is it’s this – the taxpayer having to fork out for loads of civil servants going up and down on the train just to feed Andy Burnham’s vanity. It’s ridiculous.’
Mr Lister is expected to make the same round trip again this week.