Theresa May snubs Northern Powerhouse in thinly-veiled attack on George Osborne’s legacy
The Prime Minister will focus on building a "proper industrial strategy" - in a move away from Osborne's pet project
THERESA May will pile fresh misery on George Osborne as she chairs the first Cabinet committee focusing on pushing Britain’s industrial strategy later.
Her move away from his much-trumpeted flagship Northern Powerhouse pet project is seen as a thinly-veiled attack on his legacy.
The new PM’s 11 strong mini Cabinet Committee on Economy and Industrial Strategy is designed to promote a variety of industrial sectors spreading the benefits of growth across the country’s cities and regions.
It will examine long-term productivity growth, encourage innovation and focusing on the industries and technologies that could give the UK a competitive advantage.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mrs May said: “We need a proper industrial strategy that focuses on improving productivity, rewarding hard-working people with higher wages and creating more opportunities for young people so that, whatever their background, they go as far as their talents will take them.
“We also need a plan to drive growth up and down the country - from rural areas to our great cities.
“If we are to take advantages of the opportunities presented by Brexit, we need to have our whole economy firing.
“That’s why this committee’s work is of the highest priority and we will be getting down to work immediately.”
The new committee will be made up of Secretaries of State from 11 Government departments, including Chancellor Philip Hammond, Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green.