Former Chancellor to chair new Northern Powerhouse think tank

Former Chancellor George Osborne has been selected to lead a new group aimed at bringing his plans for a Northern Powerhouse to fruition.

During his years as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Osborne was the driving force behind the idea of creating a Northern economy to rival that of the South.

Since he was sacked from his post by PM Theresa May in July however, there have been concerns over the government’s ongoing commitment to the project.

Now a backbencher, Mr Osborne said the new think tank, called the Northern Powerhouse partnership, would be “a major focus of my political energies”, BBC News has reported.

Downing Street has denied a lack of commitment and said the PM is building upon Mr Osborne’s ideas.

Treasury aide Neil O’Brien has been placed in charge of Northern Powerhouse matters in Mrs May’s policy unit, while Yorkshire MP Andrew Percy has been made Northern Powerhouse minister.

Having first revealed the project in 2014, Mr Osborne said his ideas had since drawn huge, cross-party support.

According to the BBC, he said: “In the space of just two years, we’ve created powerful new mayors, committed to huge new transport and science projects and attracted investment from around the world.

“There’s real excitement now in the North about what we can achieve if we work together. I don’t want us to lose that.”

The director of the Institute of Public Policy Research North, Ed Cox, said he believes the project has so far been “too narrowly focused”.

He commented: “It remains to be seen whether this new think tank will develop an inclusive approach to the northern economy because, to date, George Osborne’s Northern Powerhouse has been too narrowly focused on big cities and metro mayors.

“Vital as these are, they will not address the economic and social challenges raised by the Brexit vote.”

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