Tackle UK’s north-south divide with pledge on infrastructure, say experts
Never mind north/south – what about urban/rural – I think its time to blow the dust off my idea of a rural sovereign wealth fund – this article tells us;
Britain’s north-south divide should be tackled by a government pledge in its new industrial strategy to provide every citizen with decent transport, schools, hospitals and digital access, an expert body says.
The independent industrial strategy commission on Wednesday urged ministers to tackle Britain’s regional imbalances by committing to universal basic infrastructure – a guaranteed standard for the whole of the UK.
Theresa May put an industrial strategy high on the agenda of the administration she formed following last year’s Brexit vote, and put a green paper out for consultation in January. A white paper is expected from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy before the end of the year.
The commission was set up following the publication of the green paper and in its final report said that while an industrial strategy could not do everything everywhere it should seek “to do something for everywhere”.
Dame Kate Barker, the chair of the commission, said: “The UK’s people, places and industries have great strengths and untapped potential, but we must accept the reality that the economy also contains many long-established weaknesses.
“Industrial strategy needs to be embraced as a long-term plan to manage the economy strategically and embedded throughout government. If we get the new strategy right it can build on these strengths, tackle our weaknesses and above all have a positive, long-lasting impact on people’s everyday lives. This implies that sometimes it will be right to choose equity and long-term-gains over short-term efficiency.”
A joint initiative between academics at Manchester and Sheffield universities, the commission said the new strategy should be driven by the long-term needs of the UK – to decarbonise the economy, to improve infrastructure and to boost export capacity, to unlock long-term investment and to ensure a sustainable health and social care system