We're about to find out whether the Tories truly care about the North.
Up here, people are wary of southern show-offs telling us how many press-ups they can do. We’re more impressed by them putting their money where their mouth is.
But we haven’t seen much of that.
Last week, a report found the Tories spent the last decade taking money out of the North: councils here suffered 20% cuts compared to the England average of 13%.
This left the North more exposed to Covid-19. And the economic crisis in its wake threatens to widen the North-South divide.
Without drastic action, the 2020s in the North will be worse than the 1980s.
So, when the PM makes his speech on Tuesday, I will be listening to see if he gets this.
I expect announcements about “shovel-ready” schemes. But they won’t change many lives any time soon. “Levelling up” needs to be about skin and bone as well as concrete and steel. We need help for people – now.
So let’s have an ambitious Young Person’s Guarantee – job and training opportunities.
Let’s reward the essential workers we’ve clapped with a real living wage and look at a universal basic income. Let’s fix council budgets, build zero-carbon council homes and provide the same public transport as London.
The time for talk is over. The North needs to see action – now.
