Tory MPs want to unveil 'manifesto for the north'

THERE should be a dedicated cabinet minister for the north a group of Tory MPs have claimed.

- PATRICK DALY & CHRIS SLATER

They are also calling for half a million new homes to be built in the region as part of a 'manifesto for the north' which is to be unveiled at the party's conference in Manchester.

The Northern Research Group (NRG) also wants to see a commitment to devolving some of Westminster's tax responsibilities to the North and the prioritisation of a rail line linking Liverpool in the west to Hull in the east.

It comes as ministers have recently refused to commit to building the northern leg of HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester, via Crewe, over cost concerns associated with the high-speed rail project.