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Public invited to suggest names of North’s "best and brightest" to advise on Brexit

• Think-tank highlights need for new Committee to identify North’s Brexit priorities and assist government on Brexit negotiations
• North of England’s £300bn economy key part of UK prosperity – larger than Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland economies combined.
• A single voice for the North on Brexit would help northern and UK prosperity.

A think-tank is urging the public to suggest trusted experts to join a new Brexit North “all-star team”.

IPPR North, the leading think-tank for the North of England, argues that the North needs a Northern Brexit Negotiating Committee (NBNC) to advise the government on Brexit and give it extra negotiating firepower during negotiations with the EU.

‘Brexit North: Securing a united voice at the negotiating table’ notes that from access to the single market for key northern employers like Nissan through to European Union funding for economic development, and with new trading opportunities opening up, the North’s £300bn economy will be significantly affected by Brexit.

For instance, exporting is likely to be a key priority for the North, with its thriving advanced manufacturing sector trading goods like cars and pharmaceuticals.

Unlike London, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the North currently lacks a coherent united voice to articulate its top priorities, the report argues.

A single voice would protect the North’s economy on a strategic level - bypassing local parochialism or the special interests of particular economic sectors. It would also represent northern voters who made their views clear on 23 June.

The report suggests the NBNC could comprise of the North’s leading politicians, top businesspeople, exporters, importers and innovators, and key public service leaders – and both remainers and leavers.

The public can have their say by emailing north@ippr.org with their suggested names by Friday 7 October.

Ed Cox, Director of IPPR North, said:

"The North of England’s £300bn economy faces real opportunities and challenges from Brexit - for instance, trade is very important to the North’s high-tech products like cars and pharmaceuticals – but this clearly must be balanced against concerns on immigration and jobs.

“Whether it’s top business leaders or trade union leaders, politicians, scientists and innovators or others, we want to hear who should join our “all-star team” for the North.

“Speaking with a single voice will put the North on par with Scotland and London during the negotiations - and help the government create a Britain that works 'for everyone'.”

Contact:

Ash Singleton, a.singleton@ippr.org, 07887 422 789

Notes:

The report is available here: http://www.ippr.org/publications/brexit-north

IPPR aims to influence policy in the present and reinvent progressive politics in the future, and is dedicated to the better country that Britain can be through progressive policy and politics.

IPPR North is the dedicated think-tank for the North of England. We blend IPPR’s influence on policymakers with reach beyond Westminster – now more than ever, critical for political influence.

We believe that to create a ‘Britain that works for everyone’, we must focus on a 'North that works for everyone': the North of England’s major cities, thriving towns, quality of life offer, ports, universities and £300bn economy, and crucially, human capital, make it ideally placed to deliver inclusive prosperity that benefits all of the UK.

To achieve this, we need a joined-up plan and industrial strategy led by the North, for the North – that extends from core cities to offshore wind farms; from early years investment to lifelong learning, and from global investors to thriving small businesses and local public services.