Week of events to celebrate businesses

THREE TRADE missions will take place and 49 businesses are set to sign deals as part of a week celebrating the global success of northern businesses.

Liam Fox, the Government’s International Trade Secretary, will launch the initiative – Northern Powerhouse International Week – which is designed to boost links between businesses in the north of England and companies overseas.

Northern Powerhouse branding will be displayed at locations including Manchester and Newcastle airports, to showcase the region’s global connections and companies will travel to Gulfood in Dubai, the world’s largest food trade show, to demonstrate the North’s food and drink sector.

A delegation of international TV executives will also attend the BBC Worldwide Showcase in Liverpool and the Northern Powerhouse Export Awards will be held on Thursday.

Exports worth more than £58bn were secured in the year to September 2017 from companies based in the north of England and foreign investment created 15,000 new jobs in 2016-17.

Dr Fox said: “I am delighted to launch Northern Powerhouse International Week, celebrating the global success of companies of all sizes based in the north.

“The North is now recognised around the world as a centre for excellence and innovation.

“My international economic department will continue to help build on the strengths of the north, providing support to businesses throughout their export journey and working hard to attract even more foreign investment into the Northern Powerhouse.” TRANSPORT WAS top of the agenda when Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn visited Leeds to hear about the planned £500m redevelopment of the city’s main railway station.

Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake and Network Rail chiefs spoke to Mr Corbyn about their vision for creating a “hub of international significance”, integrating HS2 and transpennine Northern Powerhouse Rail highspeed trains as well as other local, regional and national services.

They were joined by the leaders of Bradford and Wakefield Councils, West Yorkshire Combined Authority representatives and Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald.

Mr Corbyn said: “Under the Tories, London receives more transport investment than the entire North of England despite the North having twice the population. (Transport Secretary) Chris Grayling said the North should take control of their own infrastructure.

“That’s exactly what’s happening in Leeds, and they’re calling on the Government to support them.“

Mr Corbyn added: “The next Labour government will invest at least £10bn to build a Crossrail for the North to link our great Northern regions, and bring our railways back into public hands so they’re run in the interests of the many, not the few.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Our analysis of planned central government investment in transport shows that through to 2021 the North is set to receive more investment per person than the South.

“In fact, we are delivering unprecedented investment in better transport across the North. Between 2015 and 2020 the Government will have spent over £13bn improving and modernising Northern transport – a record level of investment.

“We also expect to spend around £3bn upgrading the Transpennine route between Manchester, Leeds and York.

“Passengers in the North will see new state-of-the-art trains, longer carriages and more frequent services as soon as 2020.”