Elected and business leaders publish first ever Manifesto for the North ahead of UK General Election

7 November 2019

As the country prepares to head to the polls, Northern business and elected leaders have joined forces to publish the first ever Manifesto for the North – outlining the ambition to power up the North with support of the incoming Government.

The Manifesto for the North is a five-point plan produced by the Convention of the North and NP11 – a group of all 11 Northern Local Enterprise Partnerships – representing the North’s business drive and collective political will to influence major changes across a range of policy levers, from skills and education, to housing, transport, innovation, trade and investment, and clean growth.

It has been born out of the Convention for the North with NP11 event, which took place in Rotherham in September 2019. Hundreds of people of all ages and from across the North attended the convention – the largest gathering of its kind. Business leaders, education providers, politicians, youth groups and charities, came together to discuss and debate the key policy priorities that will enable a prosperous Northern economy.

Following a year that has seen the largest coordinated action on climate change to date, political and business leaders across the North of England have today backed the five-point manifesto which seeks to enable the North to lead a green industrial revolution and address the over-centralisation of the UK economy.

The game changers pledged for the North are:

  1. Local control of education and training, skills provision that is systematically connected to the North’s businesses and growth needs, creating opportunity for all our
  2. A commitment to rebalancing the economy as a formal HM Treasury objective, delivering transformational investment to power up the North, a formal commitment to rebalancing in the Green Book, and Office for Budget Responsibility measurement of progress towards this objective.
  3. A transport budget for the North, enabling full delivery of the Transport for the North plan and supporting the devolution of control and shared accountability for the region’s rail network.
  4. Ownership of, and freedom to lead, investment and trade activities to drive export led growth, with a greater scale of investment to level up the North’s export and inward investment
  5. Backing the North to lead the green industrial revolution, harnessing and investing in its prime capability in renewable energy, decarbonising industry, retrofitting existing housing stock and building new homes to the highest

Steve Fogg, chairman of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, welcomed the manifesto.

He said: “Lancashire is pleased to have a significant role to play in the NPH and we will be a major contributor to the ambitions within the manifesto.

“This is an exciting time for the Northern Powerhouse project, which is gathering momentum. Lancashire is leading the way in some elements, such as technical education, and we are keen to learn from and share best practice with other enterprise partnerships.

“The ambitions within the document are aligned to the local priorities of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, which will be reflected in Lancashire’s emerging Local Industrial Strategy.

“The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership is already investing £1bn in Lancashire, in order to transform our economy, create substantial economic growth and fulfil Lancashire’s huge potential.

“The measures outlined in the manifesto would reinforce that commitment and bring huge benefits to local people.”

Roger Marsh OBE, chair of the NP11 said: “Our region led the first Industrial Revolution and today it can become the crucible for the fourth – and first sustainable – industrial revolution, but only if we take critical action now.

“This Manifesto for the North sets out the direction that we need to take, and marks the North coming together with one voice to tell the incoming Government what our ambition is for a thriving Northern Powerhouse.

“Our message to all political parties is clear; the North is ready to lead the transformation required for net zero 2050, enhanced productivity and a truly inclusive Great Britain. We stand united as a region. For the benefit of our future of generations, we ask the next Government, and politicians of all political persuasions to work with us and ensure this plan is every success that it deserves to be.”

Nick Forbes, Chair of the Convention and leader of Newcastle City Council said: “Our North is one made up of many different and distinct places, but by working together like this we have shown we are a powerful region which is prepared to speak with a one voice and do what is needed to create opportunity for the future.

“We are united in our shared belief that the North is central to the rebuilding of the UK. By coming together on a cross-geography and cross-party basis we have proven that our ambition for our communities transcends traditional boundaries.

“We need the next government to be on our side. If they are prepared to commit to our game changing manifesto we are clearly read to deliver.”

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