Newcastle North MP and Shadow Treasury Minister, Catherine McKinnell has challenged the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s record of delivery for the North of England.

Speaking during Treasury Questions in the Commons this morning (4th November), Catherine asked George Osborne:

‘Isn’t it the case that the Chancellor talks about creating a Northern Powerhouse, but really he’s struggling to play catch-up?

‘Whilst he’s been shifting funds from Northern cities to wealthier parts of the country, unemployment in the North East is the highest in the country; wages for working people in the North have fallen by even more than the national average; and, across the North, the number of young people unemployed for over a year is up 62% since the election.

‘Why won’t he match Labour’s plan to devolve real power and £30billion of funding, not just to the North but to all city and county regions?’

Commenting afterwards, Catherine said:

‘George Osborne has absolutely nothing to offer the North, and particularly the North East.

‘He might just have woken up to the fact that this part of the country exists, but his record in Government is absolutely dismal – on unemployment, wages and infrastructure. Just one quarter of the Government’s planned infrastructure projects will be located across the whole of the North of England.

‘Anyone who lives and works in the North East knows that we have so much to offer the UK economy, but the Chancellor’s Northern Powerhouse doesn’t even acknowledge the North of England stretches some way beyond the Pennines.

‘Labour will devolve real powers and funding to areas like the North East to ensure we have the tools to achieve our economic potential.’

 

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