A recent report from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership reveals Greater Manchester has seen the biggest increase in productivity of any UK region or mayoralty over the past two decades, climbing 31 per cent in gross value added per hour worked. This is no ordinary bounce, it's a result of long-term thinking, consistent investment, and strong local leadership. It's the kind of progress the rest of the country seeks to emulate.

Here in Yorkshire, we have our own momentum. Quietly and steadily, Yorkshire has become the UK's second-largest financial and professional services centre outside London. It's no longer just about heritage manufacturing; Yorkshire's fintech sector has exploded with 300 per cent growth between 2020 and 2023, driven by innovative start-ups, skilled graduates, and a culture of collaborative enterprise. Leeds, in particular, has stepped into its role as a 21st-century city. After decades of being the largest city in Western Europe without a modern mass transit system, in June Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the allocation of £2.1bn of local transport funding to West Yorkshire. This will allow the Combined Authority to finally make a start on West Yorkshire's long-awaited tram project.

Further south in Rotherham, the change is nothing short of dramatic. The town has posted a 63.9 per cent surge in productivity over the past two decades, making it the fastest-growing sub-regional economy for productivity in the North. Driving that renaissance is the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, shared with Sheffield, which has converted the former site of the Orgreave coking plant into a globally recognised hub for high-value manufacturing. Anchored by the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Rotherham is now at the heart of the Rolls Royce Small Modular Reactor project, a clear sign that Yorkshire is not just participating in the future economy but leading it.

Amid this resurgence, the North of England stands at a crossroads. The progress seen in Greater Manchester and Yorkshire is proof that with the right mix of ambition, expertise, and infrastructure, the North can redefine what it means to be an engine of national prosperity. We do, however, need targeted backing to enable sustainable growth. Investment that goes beyond the rhetoric of leveling up.

It's not just central government that must rise to the challenge; Mayoral Combined Authorities hold the key to championing our innovators, acting as catalysts for enterprise and nurturing the next generation of talent. By aligning central policy with regional ambition and focusing on high-impact interventions, we can ensure that the North's transformation is not only sustained but accelerated.