British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Caroline Simpson as Deputy Chief of Staff at Number 10 North to oversee economic growth, despite her documented record of policy failures while serving in local government roles.
Simpson’s appointment to lead the Prime Minister’s regional office for economic strategy—a position described as the “engine room” for growth and regeneration—follows a history of criticism from planning authorities. From 2009 to 2015, Simpson was Director of Economic Growth at Cheshire East Council, where she managed a Local Plan proposing 27,000 homes and 300 hectares of employment land. A government inspector later condemned the plan as “unduly pessimistic” with a “serious mismatch” between housing and economic strategies. The plan required over £3.7 million in revisions spanning more than five years, ultimately increasing housing targets to 36,000 homes and employment land to 380 hectares.
Simpson was promoted to Executive Director for Economic Growth and Prosperity on the council in 2015 despite these shortcomings, with her salary rising from approximately £90,000 to £120,000 and a performance bonus of £10,000. She later served as Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), where she oversaw public payments to diversity initiatives such as Thisismindseta—a program focused on “exploring microaggressions,” “contemporary manifestations of racism,” and “Racism and Discrimination in both the workplace and society.”
A senior official described Simpson’s relationship with Burnham as problematic, noting: “She sometimes goes along with Andy’s stuff too easily, rather than pushing back until it’s ready and ends up clearing up the mess or trying to make it work.” The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam made this assessment on X.
The appointment comes amid ongoing economic stagnation and rising living costs in the UK, raising concerns about the government’s approach to fiscal oversight and accountability.
