This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37380653
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Northern Powerhouse: George Osborne to stay and fight for project | Northern Powerhouse: George Osborne to stay and fight for project |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| George Osborne has said he will stay in the Commons to "fight for the things I care about" as he launches a think tank to promote the Northern Powerhouse. | George Osborne has said he will stay in the Commons to "fight for the things I care about" as he launches a think tank to promote the Northern Powerhouse. |
| Mr Osborne, who was sacked as chancellor by Theresa May, said: "I don't want to write my memoirs because I don't know how the story ends." | Mr Osborne, who was sacked as chancellor by Theresa May, said: "I don't want to write my memoirs because I don't know how the story ends." |
| There had been a "bit of a wobble" by Mrs May over the project, he said. | There had been a "bit of a wobble" by Mrs May over the project, he said. |
| No 10 says Mrs May is building on his plan to create a northern economy to rival London and the South East. | No 10 says Mrs May is building on his plan to create a northern economy to rival London and the South East. |
| Giving his first major interview since being sacked as chancellor, Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Politics is a tough business." But he said he believed he could "push and fight for" ideas he backed from outside the cabinet. | Giving his first major interview since being sacked as chancellor, Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Politics is a tough business." But he said he believed he could "push and fight for" ideas he backed from outside the cabinet. |
| Mr Osborne, the MP for Tatton in Cheshire, has returned to the back benches following Mrs May's cabinet reshuffle, and said chairing the new body - the Northern Powerhouse Partnership - would "now be a major focus of my political energies". | Mr Osborne, the MP for Tatton in Cheshire, has returned to the back benches following Mrs May's cabinet reshuffle, and said chairing the new body - the Northern Powerhouse Partnership - would "now be a major focus of my political energies". |
| Osborne declares no change over Hinkley | |
| The board of the not-for-profit organisation will include business figures from across the north of England, as well as political figures to ensure city leaders are represented. | The board of the not-for-profit organisation will include business figures from across the north of England, as well as political figures to ensure city leaders are represented. |
| The project's aim is to devolve powers and funds to northern city regions, improve transport links and create new regional mayors to act as figureheads. | The project's aim is to devolve powers and funds to northern city regions, improve transport links and create new regional mayors to act as figureheads. |
| Asked why he felt had had to say "the Northern Powerhouse is here to stay" in an interview with the Sun, Mr Osborne told the BBC: "To be honest there was a little bit of a wobble about when we had the new administration about whether they were still committed to the concept of the Northern Powerhouse." | Asked why he felt had had to say "the Northern Powerhouse is here to stay" in an interview with the Sun, Mr Osborne told the BBC: "To be honest there was a little bit of a wobble about when we had the new administration about whether they were still committed to the concept of the Northern Powerhouse." |
| He said he supported economic development across the whole of the country and he had "sweated blood" to get a mayor for Birmingham - but he felt there was a particular opportunity in the North because the cities were close together. | He said he supported economic development across the whole of the country and he had "sweated blood" to get a mayor for Birmingham - but he felt there was a particular opportunity in the North because the cities were close together. |
| Pressed on whether he intended, like his former Downing Street neighbour David Cameron, to quit politics, he said: "No, I'm not." | Pressed on whether he intended, like his former Downing Street neighbour David Cameron, to quit politics, he said: "No, I'm not." |
| He said he wanted to "hang around and find out" how his story would end, adding: "There's an enormous opportunity now to take part in the decisions that are going to affect Britain. | He said he wanted to "hang around and find out" how his story would end, adding: "There's an enormous opportunity now to take part in the decisions that are going to affect Britain. |
| "We've taken a big decision, which is to leave the European Union. There are now a whole host of new decisions about what our new relationship is with Europe, how we run our economy, how Britain behaves in the world. And I want to be there in ultimately, still the place where these decisions are made, the House of Commons, and be part of that decision-making process. Because I want to fight for the things that I care about." | "We've taken a big decision, which is to leave the European Union. There are now a whole host of new decisions about what our new relationship is with Europe, how we run our economy, how Britain behaves in the world. And I want to be there in ultimately, still the place where these decisions are made, the House of Commons, and be part of that decision-making process. Because I want to fight for the things that I care about." |
| He said he had voted for Mrs May and she was "the best person for the job of the candidates who put themselves forward" and she had made a "strong start" and was "perfectly entitled to set the tone" of her administration, including "to take a pause and consider" big decisions like whether to go ahead with the £18bn Hinkley Point nuclear power station. | He said he had voted for Mrs May and she was "the best person for the job of the candidates who put themselves forward" and she had made a "strong start" and was "perfectly entitled to set the tone" of her administration, including "to take a pause and consider" big decisions like whether to go ahead with the £18bn Hinkley Point nuclear power station. |
| 'Nothing changed' | 'Nothing changed' |
| But he added: "I don't think anything has fundamentally changed from the deal that we put together in government just a few months ago... it looks to me pretty much like the same deal." | But he added: "I don't think anything has fundamentally changed from the deal that we put together in government just a few months ago... it looks to me pretty much like the same deal." |
| Mr Osborne backed the Hinkley deal and championed the Northern Powerhouse project as chancellor, before being sacked from the cabinet by Mrs May when she became prime minister. | Mr Osborne backed the Hinkley deal and championed the Northern Powerhouse project as chancellor, before being sacked from the cabinet by Mrs May when she became prime minister. |
| Earlier this month Labour's mayoral candidates for Greater Manchester and the Liverpool city region urged Mrs May to "honour your promises to the north of England", amid reports that she intends to shift the focus to other areas. | Earlier this month Labour's mayoral candidates for Greater Manchester and the Liverpool city region urged Mrs May to "honour your promises to the north of England", amid reports that she intends to shift the focus to other areas. |
| However, Downing Street has denied any lack of commitment, saying Mrs May is building upon Mr Osborne's project, having put Treasury aide Neil O'Brien in charge of it in her policy unit and appointing a Northern Powerhouse minister, Andrew Percy. | However, Downing Street has denied any lack of commitment, saying Mrs May is building upon Mr Osborne's project, having put Treasury aide Neil O'Brien in charge of it in her policy unit and appointing a Northern Powerhouse minister, Andrew Percy. |
| Crossbench peer Lord Kerslake, who chairs the Northern Powerhouse's advisory board, told the BBC the direction in which Theresa May's government wanted to take the Northern Powerhouse "remains unclear" and Mr Osborne wanted to "hold the new government's feet to the fire". | Crossbench peer Lord Kerslake, who chairs the Northern Powerhouse's advisory board, told the BBC the direction in which Theresa May's government wanted to take the Northern Powerhouse "remains unclear" and Mr Osborne wanted to "hold the new government's feet to the fire". |
| Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said the government "realises the huge untapped potential of our great northern towns and cities" and he hoped the new partnership would "become an important part of the debate". | Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said the government "realises the huge untapped potential of our great northern towns and cities" and he hoped the new partnership would "become an important part of the debate". |