Simon Says
January is usually thought of as a quiet month as people get back into the work routine after the festive break, however this month has been anything but! Our region was firmly in the spotlight earlier this month with the news of £45bn of investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail. The long-awaited announcement promised to improved connections between northern cities, cutting journey times and unleashing the economic potential of the North. The key part of the announcement for our area was a new route between Liverpool and Manchester, running via Manchester Airport and Warrington. There was also a commitment to improve rail connections across the Pennines between Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York. After the slow death of the Manchester-Birmingham leg of HS2, many people could be forgiven for treating the news with the cynicism of a weary commuter who is used to the train letting them down. But while our region has been disappointed in the past, we have to hope that this time the plan will be realised as the economic case for better transport in the North is too strong for the Government to ignore any longer.
No sooner had Northern Powerhouse Rail hit the headlines, then Greater Manchester was in the national news again with a by-election for the seat of Gorton and Denton. Within days the local MP had resigned, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham had asked permission to stand and been refused, and parties were knocking on doors in the constituency. The seat will be keenly fought with both Reform and the Green Party hoping they can win the seat from Labour. While the national media is presenting the contest as a battle between different factions in the Labour Party and a referendum on the Government’s record, it should be remembered that local voters want an MP who will represent their views and not just be focused on national issues.
Speaking of the media, this year marks the 15th anniversary of the BBC’s move to MediaCityUK in Salford, which brought a major expansion of programmes made in the North West. I attended a talk by Sam Taylor, Executive Director, BBC News Across the UK, at the Manchester Statistical Society recently. He was heavily involved in the move to Salford and gave an excellent overview of what such a major move entailed. He pointed out that there was much opposition to the move at the time in the press, with many saying it was a waste of money and would never work. There was particular opposition to moving BBC Breakfast out of London as people said leading politicians and celebrities would never appear on a programme based so far from the capital. Fifteen years on and these criticisms have proved unfounded. Not only are many major national BBC TV and radio programmes produced at MediaCityUK, but it is also home to ITV and other broadcasters. The growth of MediaCityUK shows just what can be achieved in Greater Manchester with the right planning and investment.
Chamber experts are no stranger to MediaCityUK and are often asked to comment on issues such as Northern Powerhouse Rail as we are seen as the voice of business by both local and national journalists. But we can only be this voice thanks to the input from our members. Whether it’s taking part in our Quarterly Economic Survey, joining in the discussion at our Assembly or talking to members of our team at one of many networking events, your feedback is invaluable. It means we can help you face the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead by ensuring the views of Greater Manchester businesses are heard by decision-makers at every level from your local town hall to the House of Commons.
