A coalition of Northern and national businesses, from SMES to large firms, leading industry bodies, and creative industry leaders have backed The Great North, a new partnership promising to unlock a new era of jobs, opportunity and prosperity for the North.
The Great North was launched on the opening day of of UKReiiF yesterday (Monday 19 May), the UK’s leading investment summit, by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness as chair of The Great North, fellow Northern Metro Mayors, and received Government backing from the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.
Now businesses spanning all regions across the North have voiced their support for The Great North as a vehicle to drive growth for UK PLC and its investment opportunities in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, creative and digital, and life sciences.
The CBI, British Chambers of Commerce and Northern Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses and The Northern Powerhouse Partnership have all backed The Great North.
A report for the partnership reveals £118 billion could be added to the UK economy, with the right government investments at the Spending Review. One of The Great North’s priorities is backing the north’s creative industries, and the partnership published a report by Jude Kelly CBE outlining its potential to attract investment and jobs across the North.
The Great North will act as a vehicle for pan-northern collaboration to attract investment for the North, providing a powerful, internationally recognisable brand, leading trade missions and hosting a new Northern Investment Summit to champion the opportunity and potential of the North’s 15 million people and regions.
A joint statement from the British Chambers of Commerce and 12 Northern Chambers of Commerce said: “As Chambers of Commerce representing businesses across the North, we are pleased to support the new mayoral-led partnership of the Great North.
“We welcome the ambition to bring local government, business and academia together under a unified Northern identity, creating the scale, visibility and positive impact needed to drive meaningful investment, trade and innovation. This is a credible and collaborative approach to pan-regional working, one that is shaped and led by the North, on behalf of the North.
“The partnership reflects a shared ambition to raise the profile of our region, supporting inclusive growth and ensuring that opportunity reaches all parts of our region by harnessing the contribution of our cities, towns and rural communities. The North has
the skilled people, assets, innovation and ambition to compete on a national and global stage.
“As a network rooted in business, we are ready and able to contribute to the partnership’s success to help ensure it delivers practical outcomes for the businesses and communities we represent.”
Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “As the organisation founded to bring together businesses and investors committed to transforming northern productivity, we strongly welcome the launch of The Great North. It reflects what business expects: a shared, strategic approach that brings together local leaders to promote the North as greater than the sum of its parts.
“By aligning around our core economic strengths, from energy and advanced manufacturing to life sciences and digital innovation, we can make a more powerful case to government and international investors alike. Greater coordination across regions will help accelerate major projects and give business the long-term certainty it needs to invest.
“This new partnership sends a strong signal at a critical time. As we approach the spending review and beyond, we look forward to working with The Great North as two partnerships of Mayors and of business respectively pursuing our shared ambitions.”
Great North has also promised to put the creative industries front and centre of its work. Jude Kelly CBE, author of the One Creative North report, said: “Helping to create a vision for One Creative North has convinced me more than ever of the amazing opportunity for growth in these rich and vibrant communities. The North contains all the talent needed to create an astonishing future.”
