Aspiration is a Tory priority

It is vital that the Chancellor puts in place an economic framework that allows this to happen. For, while coalition politics, and the toxic legacy bequeathed by Labour, has inevitably tempered Conservative ambitions, Mr Osborne has still to convince many here in Yorkshire that endeavour will be rewarded.

Judging by the well-planned leaks that actually undermine the impact of the Budget, the Chancellor will accede to Lib Dem requests to lift the tax threshold for the low-paid to above £10,000 – even if this is not introduced until April next year.

This should not be decried – the low-waged have been hardest hit by the relentless rise in the cost of living. Yet Mr Osborne would be ill-advised to neglect the growing number of “middling professionals” who have been dragged into the higher band of tax. The type of people who have had the foresight to set up their own business from home, the Tories should be looking to reward these individuals for their ambition and graft rather than appearing to penalise them.

They’re not the only demographic neglected by the Tories locally. The same also applies to those parts of the North where membership – and donations – continues to decline. Given that the next election will be won and lost in a swathe of seats along the M62 corridor, this does not bode well for the Conservatives, despite the optimism of party chairman Grant Shapps. In many respects, his remarks illustrate the dilemma facing the country – and the Tories. Yes, Labour still lack economic credibility, but many remain unconvinced by the strength of the Conservative argument when it comes to aspiration.

On the right lines

HS2 is a win-win for the North

TWO aspects of Britain’s high-speed rail revolution have become clearer after HS2 supremo Sir David Higgins published his interim report. First Labour is now back on board – Wakefield MP Mary Creagh, the Shadow Transport Secretary, said that her party will support the legislation when it comes before Parliament after Ed Balls expressed a number of misgivings about cost.

Second, political and civic leaders across the North finally realise that they need to work together if they’re to maximise the once-in-a-generation opportunity which will be afforded to them by HS2. It’s not just about when the first super-fast trains arrive at Leeds, Sheffield or Manchester, it is also about making the rail network fit for purpose across the whole region.

As such, it was significant that many council leaders were present to listen to Sir David list those improvements which could, and should, take place to the existing network so the whole of Yorkshire can enjoy more reliable services.

This is important. While faster trains to London are important, it is also critical that the main route across the Pennines is improved.

Not only do there need to be more frequent trains from York, Leeds and Huddersfield to Manchester and Liverpool, but capacity needs to be increased radically and politicians, both locally and nationally, need to acknowledge the priorities of locations like Hull, Bradford, Wakefield and Doncaster.

The sooner it can be established that HS2 will provide last benefits for local rail users, the easier it will be to justify the £40bn-plus expenditure on a scheme that is critical if rail capacity is to be increased across Yorkshire.

A waste of money

NHS rehires redundant bosses

YOU could not make it up. After the National Health Service made thousands of managers redundant after the roles were declared surplus to requirements, it then chooses to re-employ nearly 4,000 individuals on generous salaries.

It might – just – be palatable if these managers were being hired on a freelance basis as the NHS, both locally and nationally, goes through a period of immense change. But this is not the case. After receiving generous severance pay-offs, many of the individuals are receiving lucrative new contracts within weeks that taxpayers are duty-bound

to honour.

At a time when many people are struggling to obtain an appointment with their GP, this scandalous state of affairs smacks of weak leadership – whether it be hospital managers who do not understand their own staffing needs or politicians in Whitehall who are unable to implement their desire to cut down on those bureaucrats whose presence hinders the smooth running of the NHS.