Jeremy Corbyn says Labour will 'reverse years of chronic underfunding in the north' in response to the launch of the Power Up The North campaign.
The Manchester Evening News is one of 33 newspapers and websites across the north who have joined forces to call for Britain’s main political parties to commit to a revolution in the way government treats our communities.
We are calling on the main parties – and those who aspire to lead them – to spell out what they intend to do, and how they will work with others, to narrow the north-south divide.
The campaign calls on leaders to make improvements across several key areas, including our region’s road and rail network, our economy, education and training, social housing and affordable homes and our digital infrastructure.
In response to the campaign, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, has said that his party will invest in northern communities, upgrading infrastructure and bringing jobs.
He said: "This failing Conservative government is drastically out of touch with people’s lives.
“With so much wealth and power hoarded by a privileged few in London and the South East it is no surprise that people feel angry and ignored.
“Labour will reverse years of chronic underfunding in the North by investing in communities, upgrading infrastructure, including Crossrail for the North, and bringing good jobs to town and cities held back by the Tories.”
Meanwhile, the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham described the launch of the campaign as a 'watershed moment'.
He said: "The North doesn’t just need its fair share of investment but also substantial new devolved powers, building on the growing success of devolution in Greater Manchester.”
Power Up The North also asks for a fundamental shift in decision-making out of London, giving devolved powers and self-determination to people in the north
It is also calling on the next prime minister to elevate the post of Northern Powerhouse minister to cabinet status, with full powers, as a clear signal that they intend to take this region seriously.
The new campaign comes a year after the launch of the One North campaign in the wake of unprecedented chaos on the region’s railways.
The collective voice of the north’s titles compelled the government to take immediate action on behalf of the millions of passengers who suffered travel misery.
