£100bn Northern economic boost up for grabs, says George Osborne

Taking action to boost the Northern Powerhouse could unlock £100bn of economic benefit and create 850,000 jobs over the next three decades, former chancellor George Osborne’s think tank has said.

In its first report to be launched by Osborne in Leeds this morning, the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) sets out proposals to devolve more powers and better connect cities and counties in the north of England.

Among the recommendations are improving: the performance and aspiration of the North’s schools; the quality of adult skills; the east-west transport infrastructure that connects key Northern cities and Manchester Airport as well as its connectivity to the South; fibre and broadband provision; attractiveness to business investment; and the overall level of ambition in local decision making.

Over 200 businesses - including construction group Mace and engineer Arup - as well as civic and academic leaders contributed to the report.

Osborne, who launched the NPP last September, said: “There is a real excitement across the North at present. The Northern Powerhouse initiative, which I launched two years ago, has already shifted the North into a new gear.

“Over the past few months I have met hundreds of business leaders across the North and visited new investment projects. The Northern Powerhouse is real and together we can transform the economy of the North of England.”

Steve Gillingham, director of the North at Mace, said: “For the UK to succeed, all parts of the country need to grow. This report provides a blueprint of how the North can truly compete on a global stage by improving our skills base, investing in infrastructure, driving innovation, and delivering devolution.”

Dave Newton, director at Arup, said: “The business case for the North is clear. We need to do more to advance our regional towns and cities to build an economic powerhouse capable of rebalancing the UK economy.”