PRESS RELEASE
Region's MPs back Eastern Powerhouse in letter to Rishi Sunak
More than 20 of the East of England's MPs have today written to the Prime Minister urging him to take a strategic approach to the region so that it can realise its full potential. Writing in support of the Eastern Powerhouse, alongside the organisation's Advisory Board Members, the MPs call on government to take measures that could see the East deliver an extra £31.2bn of economic growth and some £11bn in additional tax revenue.
As the leading voice of business and civic leadership across the East of England, the Eastern Powerhouse is asking for parity of recognition and support with other regional organisations in the United Kingdom, and a coordinated approach that researches, recognises, and advances the ideas and policies required for growth that would help this vital part of the country to flourish. We welcome recent investments into Sizewell C, Freeport East, and Peterborough and we see a clear opportunity to work with Government to deliver strategies that take full advantage of them, and others in the future.
James Palmer, Chair of the Eastern Powerhouse, said:
"No part of the United Kingdom is better placed to drive the national economy over the next 50 years than the East. The East is the UK's capital of science, innovation, energy and agritech. We are offering to work with government to create a framework of policies that take advantage of what the East has to offer, whilst simultaneously levelling up our most deprived areas."
Matt Warman MP, who co-ordinated the letter in Parliament, said:
"From Lincolnshire to Essex, the East has a unique and unrivalled combination of assets and opportunities. The government's focus on maximising every area's potential could see the East deliver more for everyone who lives there and more tax revenue to fund vital public services. I look forward to the Government engaging with the Eastern Powerhouse to realise that as quickly as possible.”
Phillip Blond, Director of the Eastern Powerhouse, said:
“Restoring growth and prosperity to the country requires a co-ordinated and focused approach to the regions, the problems that limit and constrain growth: skills, infrastructure, energy and investment are often beyond the reach of many places to solve. Only by working on a regional basis can these issues be successfully tackled. The East of England is an area full of economic potential and activity that can go to scale with the right regional vision and approach.”
For Media Enquiries, please contact Mike Mavrommatis mike@easternpowerhouse.uk