Policy North Conference - This Friday 10-3.30 - with James Wharton, Northern Powerhouse Minister

In what has been a busy week for the country as a whole, we all need to think about the next steps we can take individually and collectively to make our futures as prosperous as possible.

Accordingly, there's still chance to secure your place at Friday's Policy North event in Newcastle. The day will question what is on the horizon for the Northern Powerhouse, and how local businesses can thrive.

Some of the North East's leading business figures will provide an engaging array of talks, panel discussions, and questions and answers. More so, James Wharton MP, Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, will be providing us with a keynote speech detailing how the area will adapt in these uncertain post-'Brexit' times.

I've attached the poster below - if you would like to know more about the work Policy North does as a Think Tank, then they can be found here - http://www.policynorth.com/

Equally, if you have any more questions, or would like to come along, then please don't hesitate to get in touch.

A North East Mayor and the devolution deal is crucial for the future prosperity of the North East

I am strong advocate of devolution and the opportunities are massive for the North East. But Gateshead has now decided - after having sign on the dotted line last year - to back out. It is a great shame. I would urge them to get back on board. Why does this matter? Because Teeside, Liverpool, Greater Manchester, and others have seen the massive benefits that devolution has to offer: control of transport, skills, business rates, job creation and so much more. This project will proceed without them but they would be the losers. Crucially the business community is heavily critical of the Gateshead decision.
The chronicle assessment is here: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/devolution-everything-you-need-know-11082124

Digital Skills for the Northern Powerhouse - Code is key to the future of IT business in the North

Tomorrow the Code Academy is launching at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead. This is a very encouraging step by industry, helping to fill the digital skills gap, and complements the work being done by Local Enterprise Partnerships, and the Government.

These are the skills we need in the North East for the future. Already a leading technology centre, the North East is well placed to push on to become a real centre of excellence, as part of the wider Northern Powerhouse. Only last month, GP Bullhound, one of Europe’s largest technology investment banks, came out in emphatic support of the technology industry in the North East, publishing a list of nine companies with the potential to become $1 billion businesses. The region already has a turnover of £1.7 billion, across 199 different technology firms. 

Moving forward, it is vital that we maintain and build on this success, and it is with schemes, like the Code Academy, that we can ensure that the skills of the future stay in the North East.

South Yorkshire leads the way on the Northern Powerhouse - The North East needs a Mayor + devolution

The Chancellor today signed a deal with civic leaders from South Yorkshire that will see it vote for a new, directly-elected Mayor, in what is the most fundamental shake-up of local government for a generation.

Sheffield is forging ahead in the Northern Powerhouse, which this historic deal proves is taking shape. This deal has the power to change the shape of local government in the region in a way that would have been unthinkable even just a few years ago. For local people, it will mean the decisions that affect them being taken locally.

Manchester is not a one-off – far from it. In becoming the second great northern city to sign up to managing its own affairs with this ambitious agreement, Sheffield City Region is playing a vital part in helping to build the Northern Powerhouse.

The North East cannot be left behind. We need to embrace the change and sign up to a Mayor, new powers and proper devolution. More details here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-34414584

The Greater London Mayor has shown the difference a mayor can make to a region like the North East

I hope that the North East is looking at the impact a Mayor has had on Greater London, and other great cities and regions of the world, and thinking: this would help us! Why can't we have something like this?
- A single person promoting the region
- The region working as one, not a collection of warring neighbours
- A critical mass to compete with the larger regions of Germany and beyond.
- A region with integrated transport, joined up healthcare and so much more.
- A region batting above its weight to ensure more jobs, growth and a better future.


The evidence is clear: mayors, with a proper remit and a broad canvass can make a big difference. The Mayor of London has a multitude of places, concerns, interests and people to look after across a huge land mass and a totally diverse landscape. London is many things to many people: from the suburbs to leafy green belt to the City's square mile and Soho, and so much in between.

In Westminster the race to succeed Boris Johnson is hotting up. Key local figures are throwing their hat into the ring for a job with real power to make a difference: the latest report on Zac Goldsmiths announcement is here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11661880/Zac-Goldsmith-announces-bid-for-London-Mayor.html

Speech on budget responsibility, manufacturing, unemployment figures and labour tax plans

On Tuesday I gave a short speech in the House of Commons on balancing the books, and support for manufacturing and the growth of apprentices. Time was limited but I hope I made a few good points.

Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con):

I support the charter for budget responsibility. I think it is a good thing and a vital part of the long-term economic plan. For four and a half years we have been faced with a Labour Opposition who have opposed every single budget reduction, and I have no faith in Labour choosing fiscal discipline in future years. As various Members have eloquently explained, the Labour party is effectively France in all but name. It wishes to have a socialist Government with higher taxes, and all the financial and economic consequences that that would bring.

This coalition Government have turned around manufacturing—we have seen tremendous increases in manufacturing, particularly in the north-east. We have infrastructure support, city deals, regional devolution on a scale not seen before, support for apprenticeships, fuel duty frozen, increases to the fairer funding formula on education, and reductions in unemployment in every constituency across the north-east, including by 50% in my constituency. We should be proud of that genuinely good record.

The consequences need to be addressed, too. The shadow Chancellor, as usual, did not answer my question. I put it to him that the north-east has the fastest rate of growth of private sector business in the autumn quarter and the highest growth in the value of exports, and it is the No. 1 exporter, with a positive balance of payments.

Gordon Birtwistle (Burnley) (LD):

My hon. Friend mentions manufacturing. Has he heard anything from the Opposition about how they intend to expand manufacturing? He will remember that they managed to reduce it from 22% of GDP to 11%. Has he heard anything about how they plan to reverse that trend, if they come to power?

Guy Opperman:

Absolutely nothing whatever. My hon. Friend and I are leading lights in the all-party apprenticeships group, which has seen fantastic work. I should probably make a declaration that I am the first MP to hire, train and then retain an apprentice as an office manager—not as an MP, I hasten to add—because she was doing a fantastic job.

On what the Opposition intend to do, we have to address the deficit. The Chancellor eloquently put it that the Leader of the Opposition is practising Basil Fawlty politics by not mentioning the deficit at every opportunity. We also have to look at fiscal consolidation. We all heard what the shadow Chancellor said today, but what did the Leader of the Opposition say only on Sunday on “The Andrew Marr Show”? He said that

“if we…cut our way to getting rid of this deficit, it won’t work”.

So there goes fiscal tightening in any way whatever.
To the clarification put to Miliband by Marr that:

“that requires a £30 billion fiscal tightening”,

he replied, “I don’t accept that.”

Whatever the Opposition say today, the reality will always be that the Labour party will introduce greater taxes and greater borrowing, and greater difficulties for our children.

On attempts to address the deficit, other Members have made the point, including my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), that raising the tax rate to 50% will not
increase the tax take by any margin and will actually disincrease investment. On the minimum wage, tax credits from the coalition have already addressed that in a very successful form and we intend to raise it. I heard on the BBC “Daily Politics” today the hon. Member for Nottingham East (Chris Leslie) proposing that his plan for addressing the deficit was an increase in gun licences. That may be laudable, I do not know, and I am sure he has fiscally costed this matter in great detail, but if that is his plan to address the entirety of the deficit, we really are in more trouble than we thought.

We were indeed fortunate to hear from the hon. Member for Rochester and Strood (Mark Reckless). It is always a pleasure to comment on his speech. I will not cast aspersions on his honour, but I will attack his memory and grasp of economics. He supported the coalition as we did the tough work from 2010.

Steve Baker:

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Guy Opperman:

I will not. I am so sorry, but I have zero time. Mr Reckless supported us then, but he does not support us now.

Letter from Heathrow! From late August Heathrow will showcase North East until November

The Chief Executive of Heathrow, John Holland Kaye, has just written to me:

Guy Opperman MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA                                                                                                      6th August 2014

Dear Mr Opperman,
Congratulations in playing your part in our #YourGreatBritain competition and securing the North East a £1 million advertising campaign at Heathrow. Despite losing the lead with just 48 hours to go, thanks to your support, the North East pulled together and showed not only to us here at Heathrow, but to the entire nation, that it is a region built on pride.

Heathrow – the UK’s only hub airport - is one of the busiest airports in the world, with around 73 million passengers travelling through every year. We are delighted that with 7 daily flights from Heathrow to Newcastle, we are able to connect businesses in the North East to their global markets and give easy access for overseas tourists to enjoy the incredible landscape, history and culture that the North East has to offer.
With this competition, we wanted to show our commitment to delivering growth for the whole of the country. In March, Heathrow began a 12-month advertising partnership with VisitBritain where we gave £4 million of advertising space to inspire visitors to explore the UK. The first three months of the partnership promoted the previously flood hit areas of Devon, Cornwall, Llanddwyn Island (Wales Coast Path) and Glastonbury, to show they were back on track and open for business. The second round of adverts that went live in June were chosen to coincide with the Tour de France Grand Départ, illustrating Yorkshire’s celebrated countryside, as well as the region’s retail and architectural strengths.
For this third round of adverts, we let the public decide which region would feature. In a two week competition, the North East fought off the North West, Midlands and Northern Ireland to secure £1m worth of free advertising at Heathrow. The North East will now see four advertisements showing its breadth and beauty presented across digital screens in all terminals at Heathrow from the end of August until the end of November.
Thank you for your support, Heathrow is a national asset and, if we get approval for expansion, we will ensure that the whole of the UK feels the benefit, not just London and the South East. For more information, visit http://your.heathrow.com/britainsheathrow/

Yours sincerely, John Holland-Kaye, Chief Executive
Fuller details here: http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-east-voters-win-region-7563741
For my part I cannot wait to go to Heathrow and see the Wall on display!!