THERE MAY BE TROUBLE AHEAD

George Osborne to warn Theresa May she risks depriving the North of a £100 billion boost if she dithers over Northern Powerhouse

The former Chancellor will say on Friday that “we are at a turning point” for the North and demand urgent attention for schools, skills and connectivity

GEORGE Osborne has warned Theresa May she risks depriving the North of a £100 billion boost if she dithers over the Northern Powerhouse.

In a second thinly veiled threat to the PM over his dream project in five months the former Chancellor will tomorrow say “we are at a turning point” for the North of England.

Advertisement
George Osborne will call for urgent attention for the Northern Powerhouse projectCredit: Reuters

He will call for urgent attention for schools, skills and connectivity. And he will warn that unless the Government takes the opportunity, the North will fall “further behind”.

The speech will come just two days after the ex-Chancellor said Theresa May’s Brexit plan was failing to “prioritise” the economy.

Speaking in Leeds, the Tory heavy hitter will say: “Now we are at a turning point for the North of England.

Theresa May had promised to back Mr Osborne's Northern Powerhouse projectCredit: Getty Images

“We can either make use of the momentum behind the Northern Powerhouse to really close the north/south gap – or we can let the moment pass.

Advertisement

“Across the political parties we’ve worked on a common approach. It starts with the listening we’ve been doing to be voices of many Northern businesses and civic institutions over recent months.”

The speech comes alongside publication of the first report by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership. George Osborne launched the think tank as chairman in September after being axed from the Cabinet by Theresa May – and said he feared Mrs May was having a “wobble”.

RELATED STORIES

osbo's dig at PM
Ex-Chancellor George Osborne blasts PM for failing to protect economy ahead of 'bitter' Brexit talks
BORNE AGAIN
George Osborne takes on ANOTHER role and becomes Arizona State University’s Kissinger Fellow
FLUNKIES SOFT ON OSBO'S NEW JOB
MPs blast watchdog which let Osbo bag £200k job months after being fired as Chancellor
OSBO SEAL OF APPROVAL
George Osborne persuades Theresa May to back his Northern Powerhouse vision

The PM has insisted the whole machinery of government backs the project set up by Mr Osborne when he was in No.11. Today’s report will insist education levels have to improve across the North, given a worrying cap in the number of good and outstanding schools compared with the South.

It will also call for faster journey times for the North to become a leading European region for “ultra-fast” fibre to premises broadband.

Advertisement
machibet777.com