Northern Powerhouse needs ‘big bang’ to prove Government’s commitment – The Yorkshire Post says

Every sector of our region’s economy has suffered, from retail to manufacturing, and if that is not to aggravate long-standing problems caused by a historic lack of investment by successive Governments, radical and innovative action is demanded.

The proposal by former Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry for a “big bang” of deregulation mirroring that which liberated the City of London in 1986 is exactly the sort of thinking that is required, a wholesale shake-up with the potential to attract massive new investment.

His ideas are persuasive and there can be little doubt over the potential for creating new jobs and prosperity by putting the North at the heart of a green industrial revolution.

Reforming planning laws to incentivise job creation and taking steps to attract global investment are both measures that should prove achievable, provided there is the political will to make them happen.

And that is the problem. There is no lack of ideas in our region about how to help it forge a brighter future, but unless they are underpinned by proper policy, there is little chance of them being transformed into reality.

Those who cheerlead for change do the region and themselves no favours unless they can convince the Government to back their proposals.

That is where the real battle for change lies. Thanks to this newspaper’s campaigning, Mr Berry was given a seat at the Cabinet table to press the North’s case. That job has now been absorbed into the Department of Transport.

That belies the Government’s commitment to levelling up the economy and closing the North-South divide. It is time for it to back its words with action.

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