Rhetoric around 'levelling up' all regions of the UK played a part in the 2019 general election, which saw the Conservative Party make gains in the former northern industrial heartlands known as the 'red wall', due to their historical preference for the Labour Party. Now, pressure is mounting on the government to deliver on its promises to the regions from MPs, regional leaders and think tanks.
Onward’s Making A Comeback report focuses on boosting manufacturing: a sector which tends to pay better-than-average salaries. In 2018, median earners in the North East working in manufacturing earned 22 per cent more than the average worker, while in the North West it was 19 per cent more. This is the equivalent of an additional £2 per hour. With manufacturing maintaining a greater presence in the market in red wall seats, Onward called on the government to invest in the industry to support wage growth and economic opportunities far from London...