I've never been to a Smith instute seminar before, so I wasn't quite expecting the frank and even slightly angry responses today from the audience at the House of Commons.
Gordon Brown's think tank held an event at what was otherwise an eerily subdued Parliament today to mark the publication of its the future of Yorkshire and Humber report.
While the mainstay of media and politicians stayed away from Parliament ahead of state opening and the Queens speech tomorrow, committee room 15 was packed out with heads of local government and high ranking Yorkshire business men.
The audience listened politely while the speakers gave their opening speeches. The chair then threw the discussion out to the floor reminding everyone that it was Chatham House rules and all should feel able to talk freely.
He needn't have bothered. A barrage of criticism followed over local government's failure to secure the high speed rail link, which will now bypass Yorkshire completely on its route between London and Scotland. This quickly spilled over into Yorkshire's inability to put it's case forward to central government and its willingness to just accept defeat.
.
Chatham House rules forbid me from saying who said what but one participant questioned if development bodies and local government were "angry" enough about allocation of funds and the centripetal force of London when it came to cash calls.
Another labelled the report insular and introverted, although its authors defended the publication saying it was always meant to look into the regions workings.
Key growth sectors highlighted were:
- Low Carbon
- Advanced engineering
- Digital and new media
- Life sciences
One attendee pointed out that it was "ironic that we have a coal powered power station as the flagship of our new low carbon economy", to titters of laughter from the audience. However it is no laughing matter that these growth sectors will be sorely needed to compensate for losses in the banking sector (which accounts for 240, 000 jobs in the Leeds city region) and to mitigate the effects of cuts in the public sector, which in Yorkshire and Humber account for 200, 000 jobs.
Leave a comment
What a user pic? Get a Gravatar!