Clegg wants to boost the north – any ideas?!

Nick Clegg wants the public to email their ideas for cities like Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds to northernfutures@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk.

In a speech to the International Business Festival in Leeds later, he will suggest that the HS2 train link could stop in Sheffield – his own constituency – and stress that the coalition government is committed to fuelling an economic recovery in the north as well as the south.

“We’ve also got to be realistic that the best ideas aren’t going to come from Whitehall. Nobody knows more about what local economies need than the people who actually live and work day in and day out in the communities themselves,” he will say.

We’ve got to be realistic that the best ideas aren’t going to come from Whitehall. Nick Clegg

“This is an open call to our local leaders, businesses and experts in housing, transport, planning, science and education across the north of England to answer this fundamental question: How do we build on the strengths in the north to create an economic core in the heart of the region that can compete with the biggest cities and regions in the world?”

The deputy prime minister will also argue that the big cities in the north need to work together to achieve their full potential, and point out the £12 billion of funding over the next six years which is already headed for the northern hubs.

But some of you think the north is doing just fine already, thank you very much – check out some of the suggestions Channel 4 News has received for Nick Clegg on social media so far. Get in touch with your own on Facebook or Twitter @channel4news.

@Channel4News Clegg should come north today, it’s buzzing with #letouryorkshire – we’re not a poor relation, we just do things differently

— Helen Rayfield (@patchofbluesky) July 4, 2014

On Facebook, Ross Powell suggests: “Give local authorities the right to have ‘investment’ zones where business rates are slashed and only those businesses with suitable plans can move in.”

Chris Instinct has a simpler, although perhaps less practical suggestion: “Move London north.”

@Channel4News move the treasury to Newcastle, the foreign office to Leeds and the home office to Manchester.

— Dr*T (@Dr_star_T) July 4, 2014

On Facebook, Paul Cook writes: “Yes, all move to Hull – loads of room.”

And Victoria Goodfellow adds: “Make all job adverts by law go through jobcentre plus instead of agencies.”

@Channel4News Clegg wants to boost the North ? Tell him to stay away and leave us alone #c4news

— Andy (@Kel2708) July 4, 2014