The conference is being opened at 9.30am by Sheffield City Region Dan Mayor, while Boris Johnson will also be making a speech. A number of discussions are taking place throughout the day and we will also have speeches from George Osborne and Grant Shapps. Follow the blog below and use the hashtag #onenorth on Twitter to get involved.
Live updates as Boris Johnson talks to Great Northern Conference
Last updated: Thursday, 22 October, 2020, 09:47
- Conference opens at 9.30am with speech from Dan Jarvis
- Boris Johnson and Grant Shapps also set to speak at virtual event
- George Osborne to make speech about his Northern Powerhouse vision
- Get involved by using the hashtag #onenorth on Twitter
What’s happening?
After the two speeches by Dan Jarvis and George Osborne, a discussion on levelling up will take place from 9.55am.
After a short break, three sessions will take place concurrently on culture, reinvigorating cities and health at 11am.
A session on the future of travel follows at 11.45am, and then after lunch, Boris Johnson will be making his speech at 1pm.
A session on small businesses takes place a 1.10pm, following by a further three concurrent sessions on digital infrastructure, energy and engineering.
Grant Shapps will also make a speech, at 2.50pm, following by a session on the voice of the northern leaders and closing remarks from Henri Murison, the director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.
Hello, and welcome to our live blog on today’s Great Northern Conference.
Boris Johnson is set to be making a speech to the North, so we’ll bring you live updates on that, plus everything else that is going on throughout the day.
Dan Jarvis
Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis will open the conference, with a speech saying the PMs levelling-up agenda is on a knife-edge.
He will tell the conference that Boris Johnson has just weeks to save his plans to ‘level’up’ the North in his keynote speech, which starts at 9.30am.
Jake Berry
The former minister for the Northern Powerhouse has also spoken today on why it’s time to take the metro mayors in the North seriously.
Writing for The Yorkshire Post, Jake Berry MP said:It is vital that they listen to leaders on the ground. As well as figures like Andy Burnham and Dan Jarvis, this includes the huge swathe of Blue Wall Conservatives who have been working flat out to ensure their constituents are protected and prioritised at this time of crisis.
Dan Jarvis opening conference
Dan Jarvis has taken to the stand to make his keynote speech and officially open the Great Northern Conference 2020.
‘Levelling-up'
Mr Jarvis says the UK has the worst regional disprarity in the world.
He says the country is on course to be ‘levelled-down’ as opposed to ’levelled-up’.
Potential
Dan JarvisFailing to realise our potential is not just a waste. It’s an act of national self-harm.