It’s widely reported that Andy Burnham won’t live at 10 Downing Street all the time, if he becomes prime minister (PM).

The former Mayor of Greater Manchester is expected to succeed Keir Starmer next week, but it’s thought he’d like to split his time between Downing Street and his home in the northwest.

Last month, Mr Burnham said he’d like to move some of the PM’s operations to Manchester, creating a “Number 10 North”. He said this would help to re-balance power across the country, instead of having most decisions made in London.

No 10 Downing Street was built in the 1600s and has been used as the PM’s main residence since 1735. It has around 100 rooms and it’s also the home of Larry the cat, the property’s “chief mouser”.

If Mr Burnham decides against making it his main home, he would become the first PM to do so since Harold Wilson. He lived at Lord North Street, a short walk from Parliament, between 1974 and 1976, during his second spell as PM.

The last PM not to live in Downing Street at all was Lord Salisbury in the 1800s. He was born, lived and died at Hatfield House, his family estate in Hertfordshire.