Former Northern Powerhouse minister would say ‘yes, yes, yes’ to Cabinet return

Jake Berry left Government in 2020 but said he would return if asked to represent the North.

Jake Berry arrives at 10 Downing Street, London. (David Mirzoeff/PA) (PA Archive)

Former Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry said it would be a “huge privilege” to be asked to return to the Cabinet to represent the North.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has promised to look into the prospect of creating a new northern ministerial role following pressure from backbenchers, PoliticsHome reported on Tuesday night.

Mr Berry was the last Northern Powerhouse minister and, when he stepped back in 2020, the responsibility was handed to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

Jake Berry said the one thing he wants to do in politics is ‘narrow the north-south divide’ (Kirsty O’Connor/PA) (PA Archive)

A Government source told PoliticsHome: “We always want more and stronger northern voices in government.”

Mr Berry told The Yorkshire Post on Wednesday, ahead of the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, the answer will be “yes, yes, yes” if he is asked to take up the mooted role.

“I’ve always been really clear, there’s one thing I want to do in politics and that’s narrow the North-South divide,” the Rossendale and Darwen MP said.

“So if the question is would I accept the job, the answer isn’t yes, it would be yes, yes, yes.

“I’ve not been asked to do it but it would be a huge privilege and it’s all I care about in politics.”

Mr Berry resigned from the Government in February 2020 after turning down a role in the Foreign Office.

No new standalone role representing the North was created and, instead, the responsibility fell to Mr Shapps at Cabinet level.