Hull and Bradford’s futures to define levelling up success – The Yorkshire Post says

These are proud cities that have put the arts at the heart of their programmes for economic and social renewal – Hull was the UK City of Culture in 2017 and Bradford is among the locations bidding to have the accolade in 2025.

Give North’s schools London Challenge-style funding to end class divide – The Yorkshire Post says

Hull now finds itself at the forefront of the country’s burgeoning green energy revolution; meanwhile Bradford prides itself on being Britain’s youngest city.

But both have so much more to offer to the future prosperity of Great Britain plc if they become defining tests of the Government’s much-vaunted Northern Powerhouse and levelling- up agendas.

Take Northern Powerhouse Rail. Opportunities for Bradford will be transformed overnight if the city is included on a new high-speed line between Leeds and Manchester.

Meanwhile improved rail links are crucial to Hull’s future fortunes – both for the benefit of passengers and the ability, if and when HS2 is built, to transport more freight by train and, in turn, reduce road pollution.

And while the academic attainment of students in both cities is much improved, even more progress will be accrued with the type of investment afforded to London’s schools at the turn of the century.

Even better GCSE and A-level results will lead to greater opportunities for young people and, in turn, make the areas more attractive for more firms to follow the example of Siemens whose presence in Hull has been so significant.

As such, there’s never been a better time for the Government to invest in the North and those cities, like Hull and Bradford, which truly believe that their best days do lie in the future. But will Ministers seize the moment? Only time will tell.

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