Ever since George Osborne took on Neil O’Brien as one of his advisers in the Treasury the Chancellor has shown a growing interest in the need to heal the North/South divide and the difference between Planet London and the rest of the UK. Today Osborne will underline that concern about the way the country’s economy is lopsided by announcing his intention for a third high-speed rail link to connect Leeds and Manchester.
At a speech in Manchester, Osborne will say:
‘We need a northern powerhouse too. Not one city, but a collection of northern cities – sufficiently close to each other than combined they can take on the world. Able to provide jobs and opportunities and security to the many, many people who live here, and for whom this is all about.’
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