Green jobs dividend

REMEMBER those apocalyptic forecasts that Brexit would lead to an exodus of multi-nationals from these shores? Or that levelling up was just an empty slogan?

Two announcements yesterday gave the lie to both those shibboleths. Nissan is building its new £13billion electric car plant in Sunderland and BP is to create a vast green hydrogen facility on Teesside.

These companies could have chosen anywhere to locate their cutting-edge clean energy initiatives. That they chose the UK is a huge vote of confidence in this country’s workforce and our economic future.

That they chose the industrial North East shows that levelling up can be more than a pipe dream.

One a car manufacturer and the other an oil producer, both firms are accused of contributing to the climate change problem. It is fitting that they should now be part of its solution.