Member Article

Business Minister calls for end to "sterile" debate

Business Minister Stephen Timms has called for an end to the ‘North/South divide’ debate, calling the argument “sterile”. He announced that a London School of Economics-led consortium has been chosen to lead a new research centre to ensure economic development brings benefits to all regions of Britain.

Mr Timms said: “We need to move on from a sterile ‘North-South divide’ debate, to one that respects the real achievements of all our regions. “We have seen, over the past decade, a new economic dynamism around the regions of the UK. The impact is very striking in the dramatic renewal under way in all the great city centres across the country - Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Newcastle, Leeds.”

Mr Timms announced that the new Centre for Research on Spatial Economics would draw together evidence on regional economic development. One of the key themes will be to look at why there are differences in productivity between regions.

Local Government Minister John Healey said: “This new centre will improve our understanding of local economic performance and provide a strong evidence base to help us to unlock that potential for growth, prosperity and opportunity in every local community.”

Stephen Timms said: “The Centre is a genuine UK collaboration, with researchers in London, Newcastle and Glasgow, Oxford and Swansea joining the research programme. It is a good example of how links between London and the rest of the country can be fostered to bring benefits to all regions. Economic opportunity should be available to all no matter where they live.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .