Industrial strategy must boost North - IPPR North comment

23 Jan 2017 03:48 PM

Ed Cox, the director of the IPPR North thinktank, said: “It is welcome that Theresa May and Greg Clark are setting out an industrial strategy, which is vital as we address the opportunities and challenges of Brexit.

“Any industrial strategy must be ‘place-based’ and contain a big dose of devolution. For the north of England, this means a ‘Great North Plan’, which brings together the north’s key assets – its cities, ports, and world-class universities alongside vital rural strengths, such as advanced manufacturing, agriculture, energy and life sciences.

“A modern, 21st-century industrial strategy must also include ‘soft’ infrastructure and family friendly ideas such as childcare, skills training and support for early years, alongside investment in ‘hard’ infrastructure like transport investment and better broadband.

“Northern prosperity is national prosperity and a good industrial strategy is key to making this a reality.”

Related information: Developing a modern industrial strategy

Contact:

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