FRESH impetus has been given to the Government's Northern Powerhouse initiative after another 26 businesses signed up as “partners”.

They include Carlisle Lake District Airport, Siemens, which employs 400 people at Ulverston manufacturing components for the oil and gas industry, and the University of Central Lancashire, which has a presence at Westlakes Science Park near Whitehaven.

Each of the partners has committed to join forces with government to help the North achieve its full potential – and attract jobs and investment to the region.

The businesses taking part in the Northern Powerhouse partnership programme – which range from infrastructure specialists and PR agencies to banks and universities – will join a new network of leaders who strongly believe in the potential to grow the Northern economy and are committed to delivering this growth.

By pledging their support, the Government says, this network will champion the North’s strengths, as well as promoting local developments across transport, skills and innovation, culture, and devolution.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, said: “We are determined to create a Northern Powerhouse and are clear we must work closely with businesses to pool the abundance of talent across the North to make this a reality.

“Today dozens of bold businesses are sending a clear message by joining us in this quest to make the Northern Powerhouse an even better place to live, work and invest in.

“But this is just the start, and I would encourage other leading companies to sign up to our new scheme, so we can continue to work together to unleash the full potential of our great northern towns and cities.”

The new companies join a the list of existing partners including Manchester Airport Group, the Peel Group, Atkins Global, North Wales Business Council, Northern Power Women and PD Ports bringing the total number of partners up to 31.

The new network will focus on four key priorities: connectivity and transport; skills, science and innovation; quality of life and culture, and devolution.