The Bishop of Newcastle took part the debate on the King’s Speech on 14th May 2026, advocating for further regional opportunities for the northeast of England:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I am pleased to speak in this debate on the gracious Speech and wish all noble Lords well in this new Session. I declare an interest as president of the Rural Coalition.
It is an honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Burns, particularly with his north-east roots. I speak from the perspective of the region in which my diocese is located, the north-east. These are communities with deep resilience and enormous potential but which continue to live with the consequences of economic inequality, industrial transition and social fragmentation.
There is much that gives cause for confidence. We see innovation emerging from our universities and wider research communities, growing expertise in clean energy, digital technology and advanced manufacturing, and renewed confidence in sectors helping to shape the industries of the future. The North East Space Skills and Technology Centre, based at Northumbria University, is a notable example of combining public funding, university match funding and private sector aerospace investment—a model that is about long-term economic development.
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