‘Investment zone’ plans questioned

THEY’RE one of the few policy ideas left after Liz Truss’ low-tax economic vision was torn to shreds by her new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt a few days before she was ultimately forced from office.

- ROB PARSONS

Dozens of expressions of interest for lowtax, low regulation investment zones were handed in to the Government ahead of last week’s deadline by Northern leaders.

But have Ministers checked whether the idea will work or what kind of impact the zones will have?

Based on exchanges between Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke and his Labour shadow Lisa Nandy in the Commons it appears not.

Wigan MP Ms Nandy pressed Mr Clarke to share how bids for investment zones will create growth, describing the policy as the only thing left of this bin fire of a budget’, following moves to scrap the PM’s tax-cutting agenda.