Response to IPPR North's blueprint for how the North can lead the Northern Powerhouse agenda
“I welcome this important contribution to the debate over the significant role the North must play in powering up UK prosperity, particularly after Brexit," says Roger Marsh OBE
30 July 2019
IPPR North has called on the new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to demonstrate his commitment to “Power up the North” by backing a plan to devolve power to the region.
In the report,'Power and prosperity: A strategy for the North to take control of its economy' researchers say that the North has shown great potential: the region has seen strong jobs growth in the key sectors of high-tech manufacturing (+20,000) and knowledge intensive business services (+63,000).
But the North must take control of its economy to tackle future challenges like the climate crisis, automation, and an ageing population – while Brexit threatens to hit the North twice as hard as London.
Responding to the IPPR North’s blueprint for how the North can lead the Northern Powerhouse agenda into a new phase Roger Marsh OBE, the Chair of the influential NP11 group of northern local enterprise partnerships and of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, said:
“Through NP11, LEP Chairs have come together to focus on areas such as skills, supply chains, trade, investment and clean growth, so I welcome this important contribution to the debate over the significant role the North must play in powering up UK prosperity, particularly after Brexit.
“As the new Prime Minister sets out his welcome intentions to invest in much-needed infrastructure such as Northern Powerhouse Rail, it’s vital we grasp this opportunity to make the North an overall contributor to UK plc. This means setting out a clear vision for northern success and a credible plan to realise it; greater powers for the North to take its own decisions about the issues that affect it, starting with meaningful devolution for all parts of the North; and the right level of sustained investment to finally close the harmful North-South divide that is holding too many people back.
“I also welcome IPPR North’s calls for greater collaboration across the North, working together in pursuit of our common goals. This is exactly what we are trying to achieve through NP11, focusing on areas where the North can be a globally competitive force for the whole country.”
A copy of the report can be found on the IPPR North website (opens in new tab).