Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom insists the Conservatives are committed to closing the North-South divide, despite a new report saying the 海角视频 is one of the most regionally divided countries in the world.
The Tories鈥 2017 manifesto said that closing the economic gap between regions like the North East and the wealthier parts of the 海角视频 was 鈥渢he biggest prize in Britain today鈥.
But the Government has faced growing anger since then for not acting on that promise, with The Journal joining more than 30 other newspapers in the Power Up the North campaign to call for greater investment in the region鈥檚 infrastructure, a proper commitment to devolution and replacement of EU regional development funds.
Yesterday a report from the ippr North think thank claimed the 海角视频 was 鈥渕ore regionally divided than any comparable advanced economy鈥 and highlighted huge disparities in funding holding back the North.
But despite that, Ms Leadsom insisted that closing the North-South divide was a priority for the Conservatives.
She said: 鈥淏oris has made clear that while the talents and the brains and the capability is evenly spread right across the United Kingdom, it is the case that the opportunities simply aren鈥檛.
鈥淲e鈥檝e talked about wanting to level up and make sure that all parts of the United Kingdom share in our success.鈥
She added: 鈥淲e are absolutely committed to closing the North-South divide there is no doubt about that. We鈥檝e said in our manifesto that we will be investing in the Northern Powerhouse Rail, that we want to look at better rail connection between the North East and the North West, between our great cities in the North of England and also in rolling out gigabit broadband to make sure that every part of the country benefits from better infrastructure.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got our multibillion-pound skills fund that means that more young people will be able to get into apprenticeships and get the new jobs that will be available to them in the future as we embark on this amazing new period of industrialisation where the 海角视频 is leading the world.鈥
Ms Leadsom鈥檚 visit to Newcastle came on the same day that ippr North鈥檚 Divided and Connected report highlighted how parts of the North have higher mortality rates than areas of Turkey, Slovakia and Romania, with the region also being left behind on jobs, wealth and productivity.
The report reveals that spending on economic affairs in the North has been 拢541 per person less than London over the last five years, and that the North had seen a 拢3.6bn cut in public spending over the last eight years while the South East and South West together got an increase of 拢4.7bn.
Ms Leadsom鈥檚 comments on the Conservatives鈥 commitment to the North East also come as unemployment is rising in the region and opening a gap on the rest of the country.
She said: 鈥淎cross the 海角视频 we鈥檝e had extraordinary employment numbers, with 3.7m more people employed now than there were in 2010.
鈥淏ut the North East has been one of the areas that we really do want to focus more efforts on and if we are back in Government on December 13 that is going to be an area, quite clearly, where we want to see that levelling up whereby recognising all of the talent that is spread across the country should be matched by the opportunities.鈥
Labour's candidate in Newcastle Central Chi Onwurah said: 鈥淎ndrea Leadsom is the latest Tory to try and paper over their neglect of the North East with vague promises and jaunty soundbites.
"They are going to 鈥榣ook at鈥 better rail connections. Think about broadband.
"We know what the problems are. We need real, fully funded investment in our infrastructure, plus a regional bank to bring financial decision making back and a shift North in our national thinking 鈥 moving part of the Treasury North as we鈥檝e promised will help achieve that.
"The Tories don鈥檛 know the North Ease and have nothing to offer us apart from hot air and zero hour contracts.鈥
