Jake courts allies over Power brief
New Northern Powerhouse minister and Rossendale MP Jake Berry has outlined his vision for transforming the economy in the north of England to Free Press reporter
JAKE Berry has some big boots to fill. The newly- appointed Northern Powerhouse minister has taken on the government brief that was a flagship policy of former Chancellor George Osborne, setting out a vision for northern economic growth driven by the region’s industrial heartlands.
The Rossendale MP was appointed after previous incumbent Andrew Percy stepped down from Theresa May’s government last month after just 11 months in the role, and becomes the third minister to hold the office.
Speaking exclusively to the Free Press as he settled into his new job, Conservative Mr Berry outlined his vision for the north - and how his role can drive investment for the region.
He will be focusing principally on driving economic growth and believes that businesses should play a key part in shaping the Powerhouse and combating the pull of northern talent to the capital.
Mr Berry said: “It’s early days, but the key thing I am focusing on is looking how we can ensure that the Northern Powerhouse is business-led and that the voices of the manufacturers and voice of the industry in the north of England dictates government policy.
“I would like to see business across the north of England play their part in shaping the vision of the Northern Powerhouse as it should be being shaped in the north, rather than by civil servants in the south deciding what look like.
“I will also have a focus on education and on schools - I think it is hugely important, particularly graduate retention. We have quite a bad retention rate and I want to reverse that and see the most highly skilled young people settling in Rossendale, settling in the north to build a career and a future here.”
He added that his seven years representing the interests of Rossendale and Darwen in Parliament give him the ideal vantage point to address issues specific to the north. He said: “There are lots of roles in government that might not have complemented my role as a constituency MP but I think being a north west and a Lancashire MP and it should being the minister for the Northern Powerhouse enables me to do both.
“Certainly it leaves me perfectly placed to look at the bigger changes across the north in terms of transport, and Rossendale is a standout borough not having proper transport links into Manchester.
“Driving the growth of Manchester is key to the growth of the Rossendale economy, but also so that people from Manchester can come and work in our high-tech emerging businesses.”
However, the new fatherof-one added that guaranteeing the effects of economic regeneration means ensuring they are felt by towns and villages, as well as by the region’s industrial hubs.
He said: “The Northern Powerhouse isn’t just about the northern cities, I am aware of the huge contributions made by our towns as well, Bacup, Whitworth, Rawtenstall, Haslingden, these type of towns have a huge part of to play and we have to make sure that those benefit from the project. Whether that is with transport infrastructure, digital infrastructure, working relationships with local economy partnerships, with linking up all of our northern economy, combined they form a bigger economic unit than London.”
He added: “We have to ensure that it doesn’t just focus on the cities and we must take advantage of the towns around Manchester. In Rossendale we have a highly skilled workforce, much more highly skilled for the average population.”
Moving forward, Mr Berry says he wants to abandon partisan differences to join forces with Labour’s new Manchester Metro mayor Andy Burnham to promote the interests of the wider region.
He said: “It’s a very good job for making sure people in the north of England have the opportunities for growth available elsewhere. It’s a huge opportunity to link up with the metro mayor Andy Burnham. I will be his voice in government and as Lancashire doesn’t have its own mayor I will be able to ensure that voice isn’t lost.
“It will be a partnership. I am not going to be bound by party politics, and I’ll be able to work with leaders of all parties to make sure the best interest of the north is served. In a sense those regional issues transcend general politics.
“You will have a group of people who will put aside their political differences. At this crucial time we have to make sure the Brexit dividend hopefully favours all.”
Mr Berry, who has been Rossendale MP since 2010, will serve under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid.
He was previously appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to former housing minister Grant Shapps MP in 2010 and PPS to former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Greg Hands MP in 2015.