A veteran Greater Manchester MP has called for Treasury officials to be taken on a tour of English regions after he was left shocked by a remark made by the Chancellor regarding airport runways. Graham Stringer, the Labour MP for Blackley and Middleton South, criticized what he described as a “startling ignorance of the English regions” among Treasury officials. Speaking in the House of Commons, he referenced a comment made by Chancellor Rachel Reeves during a BBC interview in January.
According to Stringer, Reeves claimed that “the last time we built a runway in this country was in the 1940s” while discussing plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport in London. The remark did not sit well with Stringer, a former chairman of Manchester Airport’s board. He pointed out that Manchester Airport’s second runway has been in operation for nearly 25 years, making it clear that the Chancellor’s statement was incorrect, according to Manchester Evening News.
“Manchester Airport would be very surprised to hear that because the new runway there has been operating for nearly 25 years,” he said in Parliament. Stringer argued that the Treasury’s lack of awareness about developments outside of London has led to “a certain prejudice in the formulas they use for calculating whether a scheme should go ahead.” The MP, who also previously served as leader of Manchester City Council, urged Treasury ministers to take action to better understand regional growth.
“Can the Treasury minister and the rest of the Treasury team provide coaches to send Treasury officials round the English regions to talk to people who know about growth?” he asked.
He also called for a review of economic growth assessment formulas, which he claims are biased against regions outside of London. In response, Treasury Minister Darren Jones defended the department’s engagement with local leaders.
“I can confirm that Treasury officials routinely engage with local and regional officials across the country, including frequently in Manchester with Mayor Andy Burnham and his team,” Jones replied.
He also pointed to government support for regional projects, including the redevelopment of Old Trafford in Manchester, while acknowledging the success of Manchester Airport, which remains one of the UK’s busiest aviation hubs. Manchester Airport’s second runway opened in February 2001, marking the UK’s first major airport expansion in over two decades.
