Rachel Reeves must revive Northern Powerhouse rail plan
Reviving projects linked to the Northern Powerhouse should be one of Chancellor of The Exchequer Rachel Reeves' main priorities, her predecessor George Osborne has said. In an interview with BBC North West Tonight, Conservative Osborne - formerly the MP for Tatton in Cheshire - said if he were Reeves he would focus on a new high-speed rail system and boosting the region's universities' research potential.The high speed rail link was one the key elements of the Northern Powerhouse plan to boost growth in the North, but the infrastructure project was shelved during Boris Johnson's premiership.Reeves' first spending review settlement is planned for June.
Osborne, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer between 2010 and 2016, said: "There have been lots of promises to upgrade the existing TransPennine Service, but fundamentally we want a new high-speed rail system of the kind you'd get elsewhere in the world."I think if I was her I'd also sought of double down on the science of the universities in the North West as that's a big strength of the North West of England."I'd get behind those big research institutions, those big places where students gather because those are power houses for our cities in the North West."The schemes have previously been backed by the city region mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool.Labour's Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram have said government backing would be key to improving rail links and maximising the potential of sectors like life sciences and the Atom Valley manufacturing zone in Greater Manchester.
The Northern Powerhouse project was proposed by Mr Osborne in 2014.Its aim was to end the UK's economic reliance on London by investing in northern England, including plans for the HS2.But the northern leg of HS2 was cancelled in October 2023 by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.Northern Powerhouse Rail from East to West had been downgraded under Johnson the year before.He said: "I think it was a really bad decision and I said so at the time and I'll say so again.""I think those two things have been big missed opportunities and a succession of governments that came after me said they were going to do them and haven't."And I guess now the pressure is on the current government to deliver."
Sceptical
Osborne, who quit politics in 2017 to become the editor of the Evening Standard newspaper, a role he held until 2020, also told the BBC he was "really sceptical of anyone who says there may never be another Conservative government".He said: "When I started off in politics there were very few Conservatives in the North and people said 'there may never be another Conservative government'."Then we've just had 14 years of Conservative government, and there were loads of Conservative MPs in the North of England."And now, of course, it's swung right back."So I'm really sceptical of anyone who says there'll never be another Conservative government, just as I was sceptical of people who said a few years ago that there'd never be another Labour government."
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
39 minutes ago
- BBC News
The World Tonight Will voters feel better off from Chancellor's spending plans?
What would you do with a trillion pounds of public money over the next four years? The Chancellor says "renewing Britain" is at the heart of her plans. So when will voters start to feel better off? We ask a Treasury Minister. Also on the programme: After the US Ambassador to Israel told us that Muslim countries should give up their land to create a Palestinian state - we get reaction from a senior Palestinian official. And one of the most influential figures in the history of pop music, Brian Wilson - the creative genius behind the Beach Boys - has died. The veteran DJ Bob Harris - who knew him for more than five decades - pays tribute.
BBC News
41 minutes ago
- BBC News
Aukus: US to review submarine pact as part of 'America First' agenda
The US has launched a review of its multi-billion dollar submarine deal with the UK and Australia, saying the security pact must fit its "America First" the trilateral pact, widely seen as a response to the growing power of China, Australia is to get its first nuclear-powered subs from the US, before the allies create a new fleet by sharing cutting-edge Australia and the UK - which did its own review last year - have sought to play down news of the US probe, saying it is natural for a new administration to move comes as Australia faces pressure from the White House to lift its military spending, from 2% to 3.5% of GDP, a push so far resisted by Canberra. The agreement - worth £176bn ($239bn; A$368bn) - was signed in 2021, when all three countries involved had different leaders."The department is reviewing Aukus as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous administration is aligned with the President's America First agenda," a US defence official told the BBC."As [US Defense] Secretary [Pete] Hegseth has made clear, this means ensuring the highest readiness of our servicemembers, that allies step up fully to do their part for collective defense, and that the defense industrial base is meeting our needs."The review will be headed up Elbridge Colby, who has previously been critical of Aukus, in a speech last year questioning why the US would give away "this crown jewel asset when we most need it".Defence Minister Richard Marles, speaking to local Australian media on Thursday morning local time, said he was optimistic the deal would continue. "I'm very confident this is going to happen," he told ABC Radio Melbourne."You just need to look at the map to understand that Australia absolutely needs to have a long-range submarine capability."Some in Australia have been lobbying for the country to develop a more independent defence strategy, but Marles said it was important to "stick to a plan" - a reference to the previous government's controversial cancellation of a submarine deal with France in favour of Australian government spokesperson told the BBC it was "natural" that the new administration would "examine" the agreement, adding the UK had also recently finished a review of the security pact between the long-standing allies. There is "clear and consistent" support for the deal across the "full political spectrum" in the US, they said, adding Australia looked forward to "continuing our close cooperation with the Trump Administration on this historic project".A UK defence spokesperson told the BBC it was "understandable" for a new administration to look at the deal, "just as the UK did last year". Aukus is a "landmark security and defence partnership with two of our closest allies", the spokesperson said, and "one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades, supporting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic".
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
PETER HITCHENS: The private school pupils refused NHS care show we're becoming a People's Republic by stealth - ruled by blank-eyed bureaucrats
We are becoming a People's Republic by stealth. The warnings are increasingly urgent, but is anyone listening? Last weekend The Mail on Sunday reported a deeply disturbing fact. An NHS bureaucrat had refused therapy to a young boy, saying, 'We are unable to see this child as we do not provide a service to school-age children who attend an independent school. We are only commissioned to provide a service to the mainstream schools.'
