Summary
At Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Burnham outlined plans to devolve greater power to regions while backing business growth, with AI confirmed as a key priority for the UK's G20 presidency. The G20 Leaders' Summit will take place in Manchester in 2027, positioning the city as a centre for international technology governance discussions.
A key theme from regional leaders and the AI Minister was that devolution should leverage each region's distinct strengths rather than duplicate efforts across places. Public sector procurement and buying local emerged as critical tools for supporting regional businesses and moving successful pilots into commercial contracts, particularly in AI and cyber sectors.
Manchester's new government campus in Ancoats, which will house 8,800 civil servants focused on digital delivery, presents an opportunity to support innovation and regional start-ups while improving access to government procurement for local companies. The campus could serve as a model for how government investment strengthens the existing tech ecosystem rather than operating in isolation.
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Common questions
- What is this article about?
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has confirmed that Manchester will host the G20 Leaders' Summit in 2027, with AI as a central focus of the UK's presidency. The event follows Labour Conference discussions on devolution, regional growth and the role of public sector procurement in supporting local businesses.
- When was this published?
- This article was published on 1 October 2026.
- Who published this article?
- This article was published by Manchester Digital.