The levelling up Secretary Michael Gove has announced a £30m fund to address social housing across Greater Manchester
Speaking at the Conference for the North in Manchester this lunchtime, Gove who also has responsibility for housing said that “The tragic death of Awaab Ishak rightly reinforced the need for action and improving the quality of homes in which every citizen lives is not only a Levelling Up mission but also a personal mission for me”
In a wide ranging speech in which he appeared to criticise Westminster’s slow approach to devolution Gove said that
“London is a priceless asset for all of us but we all know we cannot prosper fully as a state if we rely so much on one region. Success depends on strength and depth and that’s what the UK economy has lacked for too long.” and using a football analogy declared
‘A football team with a star striker, but a midfield that struggles to get ball up front and a defence full of holes“
He said that There was both a moral and economic imperative to levelling up.
“This is a deliberately long term economic plan. We are reforming the shape and nature of government within England itself, we are taking powers away from London with the North benefitting most.” he added
He began his speech to a packed auditorium by quoting…Engels. ‘A spectre is haunting Europe. In our case it’s low growth.’
Growth is not secured by absent Government he said but by active Government says citing Margaret Thatcher’s development corporation in the docklands.The Government provided the environment while the private sector provided the business
He said that it was his ambition is to finish the job and give all regions of the North that want one a devolution deal.
“Every government department is committed to our mission using all the tools at our disposal”
He talked of being able to finalise devolution deals with Cumbria,Lancashire and Cheshire
