The appointment of a Northern Powerhouse minister is a ‘positive signal' the Government ‘takes seriously' its decentralisation commitments beyond Greater Manchester, a Whitehall expert has claimed.
Reacting to last week's confirmation of South Stockton MP James Wharton's ministerial brief as a parliamentary under secretary of state (PUS), director of research for Institute for Government, Tom Gash, said his appointment ‘as minister for the "Northern Powerhouse" does not in itself guarantee the promised devolution to cities and regions will be delivered.'
