White Paper has to be 'down payment' on levelling up, says Jake Berry, rather than final spending commitment

Chair of the Northern Research Group Jake Berry has said he is “never completely satisfied” with the money that has been allocated to level up, and today’s announcements need to be the “start of the Government’s commitment” to reducing regional inequality.

Meanwhile, amid reports that a new northern ministerial position could be created, Mr Berry told the Yorkshire Post it would be a “huge privilege” to serve in such a role, and the answer would be “yes, yes, yes” should the Prime Minister come knocking.

The White Paper - due to be released this afternoon - will contain detail on 12 key pledges on levelling up to be delivered by 2030, including what Ministers have labelled a “devolution revolution” across England.

Asked whether he thought enough money had been put aside to achieve this, Mr Berry said: “I'm never completely satisfied.

“But I do take the point that it is the right thing to do to allocate money for levelling up at the Budget, and then through the White Paper set out how we intend to spend it.

“But, if levelling up is going to succeed this has to be the start of the Government's commitment.

“So through successive budgets between now and 2030, northern colleagues representing Yorkshire and other areas of the country will be demanding that this sort of level of spend is maintained.

“This is a down payment on levelling up and not the final, final payment.”

More detail is set to be unveiled by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove this afternoon.

However, ahead of the release, PoliticsHome reported last night that Mr Gove has vowed to look at the possibility of creating a new ministerial role for the north, following pressure from northern Conservatives.

Mr Berry served as the Northern Powerhouse Minister under Theresa May and Boris Johnson until February 2020, and said that closing the gap between the north and south is “all I care about in politics”.

Asked if he would be interested should a position open up, the MP for Rossendale and Darwen said: “I’ve always been really clear, there’s one thing I want to do in politics and that’s narrow the North South divide.

“So if the question is would I accept the job, the answer isn’t yes, it would be yes, yes, yes.

“I’ve not been asked to do it but it would be a huge privilege and it’s all I care about in politics.”