A major conference will be held in Newcastle on Friday (March 11) to examine the Government’s levelling up agenda for regions of the UK.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove unveiled the Government’s white paper earlier this year, outlining targets in areas that included the economy, education, health and public transport as ministers aim to turn around decades of regional inequalities around the country.
Now the Northern Agenda has brought together a number of political and business leaders who will debate aspects of the levelling up plan.
Being held at the offices of The Chronicle and The Journal in Newcastle city centre on Friday, the five-hour event will be streamed live on the websites of a number of major Northern news titles.
Keynote speakers include Tees Valley metro mayor Ben Houchen; Wigan MP and Labour’s Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy; Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham; and Neil O’Brien, the Yorkshire-born minister in Mr Gove’s department who has played a central role in defining what levelling up will mean for the North.
And leading experts on health, education and skills, business, transport and culture will aim to identify what the main areas of focus should be to tackle the inequalities that have held back our region for decades.
We will be revealing more details about our great line-up of discussion panels – and how you can watch the event – in the next few days.
Harborough’s Conservative MP, Mr O’Brien, said: “I am delighted to be giving a keynote speech at the upcoming Northern Agenda conference.
“As someone born and raised in Huddersfield, I look forward to setting out what levelling up really means for the future of the North, particularly how our government will ensure more decisions are taken at a local level, closer to the communities they serve.”
Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, who is due to speak in a panel discussion, said: “The Northern Agenda Live conference gives business and civic leaders the opportunity to come together to discuss next steps for the Northern Powerhouse.
“Now that we’ve had time to digest the levelling up white paper, we need to strengthen the areas of consensus between Metro Mayors and government on our most critical priorities including net-zero, connectivity, education, skills and devolution.
“Both the public and the private sector have a role to play in levelling up and we can’t afford to lose momentum now. More discussion and more collaboration will help us translate our ambitions from rhetoric into reality.”
Also speaking at the event will be Northumbria police and crime commissioner Kim McGuinness; John McCabe, of North East England Chamber of Commerce; North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll; and Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah.
Panel debates will also take place concerning subjects including the green economy; poverty and health; education and skills; and the place of the North in the national debate.
Sign up to the Northern Agenda newsletter by filling in the form below
