Chancellor must look West today as he seeks to level up Britain
POLITICS has not always favoured the needs of the Westcountry. Even when the region returned a fair sprinkling of Lib Dem MPs and we had a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition in power, South West voters were too often taken for granted. During long periods of Tory rule, our preference to keep Conservative MPs in generally safe seats has meant Westminster has too often been able to ignore the needs of Devon and Cornwall.
It has led to many years of underinvestment; many years in which projects that would create jobs and wealth have gone to other parts of Britain; many years when Prime
Ministers of several political persuasions have chosen the Westcountry for their holidays, but not for their largesse.
The pledge to “level-up” Britain, given new impetus by the coronavirus crisis, seems to offer hope. And positive news about improvements to one of the major road links between London and the far South West along the A303-A30 is a welcome filip.
But with today’s financial statement from the Chancellor, there are fears, as well as hopes. Because since last December’s General Election the focus of the Government has shifted significantly toward the north of England, where many former Labour-held seats fell to Boris Johnson and where, it is believed, the Prime Minister and his Chancellor will be keen to invest to keep voters onside.
As Tim Jones, chairman of the South West Business Council, tells today’s Western Morning News, there is a fear Westminster may think it has done enough for the South West by approving the £1.7billion Stonehenge tunnel development, which could bring a £4billion regional uplift over 20 years to the region.
Mr Jones is right when he says more is still needed. He added: “The concerns we have are that history might repeat itself and the South West will be ignored, both for new funding opportunities and as any part of the levelling up agenda.”
That must not be allowed to happen. Under the banner of the Great South West campaign, business leaders, council chiefs and Westcountry MPs have been treated to some warm words from members of the Government, including the Prime Minister, about what future investment we can expect.
But while the Stonehenge tunnel road improvements are welcome, there has been little else of a concrete nature to suggest we are in line for a vital injection of cash to bring forward other essential projects. And given the huge damage done to the South West’s predominate industry – tourism and hospitality – by coronavirus, we need that investment at least as badly as the north.
The potential to expand the green energy industries of the Westcountry, develop what could be a worldbeating lithium mining operation and continue to grow the travel and tourism offering in what is already Britain’s most popular staycation destination, are substantial. But we need ministers – and specifically today, the Chancellor – to tear their eyes away from the north’s red wall and look to the neglected West.