In his first interview since being sacked as Chancellor, Mr Osborne accused the new Prime Minister of having a “wobble” over his cherished “Northern Powerhouse” project.
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Challenged by interviewer Nick Robinson over whether this amounted to an unenthusiastic endorsement for the new PM and a suggestion that he felt there were better potential leaders who were not on the ballot paper, Mr Osborne said that the candidates were “the people with the best chance of bringing a divided Conservative Party together”.
She also appointed Andrew Percy, the MP for the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire constituency of Brigg and Goole, as her Northern Powerhouse minister.
Mr Osborne said: “That economic insecurity and that sense of loss of identity in many of our communities was something that we had not properly addressed, and I think they were all ingredients in that vote”.
George Osborne will continue his argument for devolution to Manchester and the surrounding area as he takes up a new job as chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.
But the “Northern Powerhouse” initiative, launched by Mr Osborne in 2014, is now being questioned.
May’s new government had “a little bit of a wobble” over the policy, Osborne told the Today program, and insisted that keeping it will be “a major focus of my political energies” from the backbenches.
And asked if he was not tempted to follow his chum David Cameron to the exit door and start writing his memoirs, Mr Osborne replied: “I don’t want to write my memoirs because I don’t know how the story ends, and I want to hang around and find out”. I sweated blood to get a mayor for Birmingham. I’m passionate about building out the engine of the West Midlands.
The board of the not-for-profit organisation will include business figures from across the north of England, as well as political figures to ensure city leaders are represented.
“In the space of just two years, we’ve created powerful new mayors, committed to huge new transport and science projects, and attracted investment from around the world”.
Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, both MPs and Labour’s candidates for the 2017 mayoral elections in Manchester and Liverpool, recently warned briefings in Whitehall suggested some proposals would be shelved.
“But even I have been taken aback by the huge support it’s attracted, across political parties, businesses and communities”.
On the panel were Osborne, flanked by Joe Anderson, mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, James Cooper, chief executive of Associated British Ports, and Dame Nancy Rothwell, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester.
He will say: “This government realises the huge untapped potential of our great northern towns and cities”.
The MP for Tatton in Cheshire, who was sacked by new Prime Minister Theresa May in July, also said: “To be honest, there was a little bit of a wobble about when we had the new administration about whether they were still committed to the concept of the Northern Powerhouse”.
“Politics is a tough business, but I think one of the things I’m coming to understand is that you can push and fight for your ideas from different places inside the House of Commons chamber, either as an opposition or as a Government backbench MP.”
Speaking at the launch in Manchester, Mr Osborne will say: “When I launched the idea of Northern Powerhouse I said I would work tirelessly with anyone and everyone to make it a reality”.
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“I hope it will become an important part of the debate and help us to do all we can to further boost jobs, growth and opportunities in the north of England”.
