Levelling up and tackling regional inequalities must be priority for next Prime Minister - The Yorkshire Post says

The north-south divide yawns ever wider, with inaction on levelling-up and the axeing of the Yorkshire leg of HS2 leaving our region at an even greater disadvantage than already existed.

The unfairness of this is underlined by today’s report from the Treasury Committee, which is highly critical of the Government’s “chop and change” approach to inequalities, which has hampered long-term strategic planning and investment. Deep-seated economic problems cannot possibly be addressed by this sort of short-term thinking, and it has to change.

The new Prime Minister must make this a priority, and institute a step-change in the approach to investing in the north. As part of that, they should reinstate the post of Northern Powerhouse minister, appointing an MP from the north to the role and giving them a position of real influence at the heart of Government, with direct access to the Premier and the Chancellor.

A change at the top of Government presents an opportunity to kick-start a stalled levelling-up programme, and it must be seized. There has been too much empty talk. The time has come for action, not more promises.