Investment plan is launched for North jobs
Northern rail investment vital
A 30-YEAR plan to create more than 850,000 jobs across the North of England will be launched today.
The ‘Powerhouse 2050’ report puts forward proposals including transforming the Leeds energy system, investing in digital technology for manufacturing and supporting the North’s expertise in health research.
Leading figures from business across the North helped draw up the report which is published by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, a body set up by former Chancellor George Osborne.
The report is published today ahead of the start of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester this weekend.
The findings will also be submitted to the Government ahead of this autumn’s Budget.
Siemens UK chief executive Juergen Maier said: “This Northern Powerhouse Partnership report sets out bold and original initiatives that could, with appropriate levels of funding and support, have a transformational effect on the North of England and provide a vital boost to productivity.”
Ideas in the report include a call to invest £1bn to support the manufacture of small nuclear reactors and £2bn to allow the Leeds gas network to operate on hydrogen. Drax chief executive Andy Koss, who led the energy research for the report said: “The North is uniquely placed to deliver the UK’s energy needs.
“There are huge opportunities for us as a region – not just in terms of potential jobs and the economic benefits, but also the positive environmental impacts associated with decarbonisation.”
THE ANIMOSITY between George Osborne and Theresa May is welldocumented but the Prime Minister would be welladvised to set aside personal feelings and take heed of the former Chancellor’s advice when it comes to the topic of investment in the North, particularly in the area of transport.
Mr Osborne coined the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ phrase while in Government and there have been years of debate about whether it was a genuine attempt to close the North-South economic divide or merely a catchy slogan.
But despite leaving Parliament for a new career in journalism in London, Mr Osborne has remained committed to the concept and has today unveiled a set of policy proposals which the Northern Powerhouse Partnership that he chairs claims have the potential to create an additional 850,000 jobs and contribute an extra £100bn to the UK economy.
The report makes clear the importance Northern Powerhouse Rail, otherwise known as HS3, to those plans. Journeys from Leeds to Manchester would take 30 minutes, and Leeds to Newcastle an hour, linking up the region in a way designed to attract more business investment.
While it is undoubtedly true that now Mr Osborne no longer has responsibility for balancing the nation’s books it is rather easier for him to propose major spending commitments by the Government, the rail scheme appears worth the investment. It would also go a long way to repairing the major disappointment caused by the scrapping of long-planned rail electrification work between Yorkshire and London earlier this year.
With Mrs May telling The Yorkshire Post in April that options are being examined in regard to HS3, the upcoming Conservative Party conference in Manchester offers the perfect chance for her to seize the initiative and show a firm commitment to the north of England by giving the scheme the go-ahead.