West Yorkshire leaders urge Chancellor to pick Leeds or Bradford for new Treasury base

The Treasury said the Chancellor would be announcing where its new base - known as Treasury North - will be located next week’s Budget.

But the Financial Times reported Leeds, Bradford, Darlington, and Newcastle were the final four locations on the shortlist.

Matt Robinson, the Conservative candidate for the West Yorkshire mayoral race in May, welcomed Leeds and Bradford’s reported consideration.

He said: “Leeds and Bradford are both fantastic cities with a rich history of welcoming and supporting ventures.

“The important part of Treasury North is getting civil servants out of Whitehall and understanding our towns, cities and communities across the North.”

While his Labour rival Tracy Brabin said she had written to the Chancellor to urge him to bring the base to West Yorkshire.

She said: :“I’m happy that Leeds and Bradford have been shortlisted as locations for Treasury North, as it shows the Government is taking steps to show a real commitment to West Yorkshire. Both cities are brilliant candidates that offer so many opportunities and it would be a real shame to see the Treasury move anywhere that isn’t in West Yorkshire.

“Leeds is the biggest financial sector outside of London, and as a vibrant city with a thriving financial sector, it would make perfect sense to keep the treasury close to this industry in the North, taking advantage of the talent that is naturally attracted to the city.

"Bradford. with its vibrant, diverse and ambitious population - one of the youngest populations in the country and one of the top six cities in the UK equipped for future growth - would be a great candidate for the Treasury too, especially as its home to three of the UK’s biggest financial institutions.

“This is a massive opportunity for the region and will bring well paid and highly skilled jobs for people across the region, representing a vote of confidence in the ambition of the hard-working people of West Yorkshire.

“I have written to the Chancellor, outlining why it is so important that he moves Treasury North to West Yorkshire to support the Government to deliver on their promises to the North."

And James Lewis, the new leader of Leeds City Council, said: “We would love to welcome the Treasury’s new economic campus to Leeds, and believe they would thrive in our city, which is right at the heart of the UK.

“Not only do we have strong financial services credentials, we also offer access to a wealth of so many talented, diverse people from across the city and Yorkshire.”

But Tees Valley metro mayor, Conservative Ben Houchen, said Darlington was a better option than the metropolitan cities to its north and south.

He said: “For over a year I’ve worked on a plan to secure these jobs for local people and in every conversation with Downing Street and the Treasury I’ve made it clear the only location that will achieve the Government’s objectives is Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.

“The whole point of moving senior civil servants out of the capital is to dramatically change their outlook and better inform policy, something that simply cannot and will not happen if they move to another metropolitan city such as Leeds or Newcastle.

“Now is the time for the Chancellor to be at his bravest, for him to face down the anonymous Sir Humphreys within the Treasury who think we don’t have enough culture to be home of the Government’s more important and powerful department.”

Applying pressure on Mr Sunak, he added: “Business leaders back my plan, major universities back my plan, leaders from across the political spectrum back my plan and the people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool back my plan – the questions is, will the Chancellor?”

Mr Sunak’s huge Richmond constituency in North Yorkshire lies south of Darlington, which has strong transport links and voted Tory at the 2019 general election.

The Treasury declined to comment on the Treasury North speculation, but the move is part of the Government's levelling up agenda and will initially see 750 civil service jobs moved from the capital to the North.

But a North East Labour MP has complained there was “no transparency” over the scheme, which would see hundreds of jobs move north out of London, following reports that Middlesbrough had missed out on being shortlisted.

Andy McDonald said: “I have made repeated representations to Rishi Sunak over the last year and he and his officials haven’t even done me the courtesy of a reply.

“There is absolutely no transparency over this process whatsoever.

“We’ve no idea how various proposals are being assessed.

“All the respected evidence such as the Centre for Cities shows that Middlesbrough is the obvious economic choice but as ever, decisions are being made on the basis of Tory party political interests and not sound economics.”

The Government has said it will move 22,000 jobs out of London by the end of the decade, and it is expected Mr Sunak will also announce the location of a new National Infrastructure Bank also to be located in the North.