Why North needs a Covid recovery plan – The Yorkshire Post says

JAKE BERRY’S continuing critique – and criticism – of the London Government’s relations with this region over Covid-19 lockdowns, and other issues, has even more relevance, and credence, because he actually sat in the Cabinet as Northern Powerhouse Minister until February.
By YP Comment
Published 26th Oct 2020, 04:55 BST
Jake Berry, the then Northern Powerhouse Minister, during a visit to The Yorkhire Post in January. He lost his job when the role was demoted in the February reshuffle.Jake Berry, the then Northern Powerhouse Minister, during a visit to The Yorkhire Post in January. He lost his job when the role was demoted in the February reshuffle.
Jake Berry, the then Northern Powerhouse Minister, during a visit to The Yorkhire Post in January. He lost his job when the role was demoted in the February reshuffle.

He, therefore, has some insight into how Downing Street works – or does not in this instance. When he says that there’s no one in the Government with good personal relations with the North’s metro mayors, it is a damning indictment of the current state of play where the blame lies as bishops warn of the risk of unrest.

And when Mr Berry, who helped to run Boris Johnson’s leadership campaigns in both 2016 and 2019, is specifically calling for a specific ‘Northern Covid recovery plan’ to emerge now, he is clearly sensitive to the fact that public trust in so-called ‘blue wall’ seats is being lost.

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Yet, as the backbencher urges the Treasury not to delay promised infrastructure investment until the end of this Parliament in 2024, Mr Berry has the scope, as head of the newly-formed Northern Research Group of Tory MPs, to play a key role in holding his former colleagues to account.

Jake Berry with his former colleague Grant Shapps 9right) at Leeds Station - the Transport Secretary now has the Northern Powerhouse brief as part of his responsibilities.Jake Berry with his former colleague Grant Shapps 9right) at Leeds Station - the Transport Secretary now has the Northern Powerhouse brief as part of his responsibilities.
Jake Berry with his former colleague Grant Shapps 9right) at Leeds Station - the Transport Secretary now has the Northern Powerhouse brief as part of his responsibilities.

First, he is in a position to help draw up a ‘recovery plan’ with others, cost it and present it to Ministers while they get on with the ‘day job’ – trying to defeat Covid.

Next, like-minded MPs need to remind Chancellor Rishi Sunak of his intention to rewrite Treasury spending rules – the so-called Green Book – so a disproportionate amount of money is no longer spent on London and the South East under outdated ‘value for money’ rules.

Finally, this is Mr Berry’s chance to show – once again – why there needs to be a full-time and fully fledged Northern Powerhouse Minister, and team of officials based here, driving forward the levelling up agenda. This newspaper, for one, hopes he makes the most of the current vacuum.

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