Mr Burnham was sat in the centre of a Cabinet-like table set in a room decorated with black panels, evocative of the iconic Downing Street door.
Opening the meeting, the Prime Minister began: “This is the inaugural event at No10 North. And how good does that sound?”
“I’ve described this earlier as the best day of my life,” he said, beaming.
“I think I’m probably going to be in trouble at home over the weekend because my other half might have some other views about what should be the best day of my life.”
Reflecting on his own journey, Mr Burnham said that the establishment of the Manchester outpost of Downing Street was “something huge”.
“I left this city in 1991 because I couldn’t find anything to do. There was not a job I could find here.
“It’s the story of so many people in Britain having to leave the place where they belong because there wasn’t opportunity and then having to go somewhere else.
“Here we are, 35 years on, as the centre of government lands here in the north of England. It really is hugely significant.”
