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CHANCELLOR George Osborne yesterday unveiled during his Autumn Statement plans for a major new £235m science research centre for Manchester.
"This is a momentous announcement for Manchester and the UK, which underlines the University of Manchester's world-class credentials and adds significant momentum to the city's major role at the leading edge of global advanced material research"
In amongst the talk of deficits, taxes, property and the UK's role in reaching Mars came some great news for the city in the wake of last month's £59m budget cut announcement.
Not only will the city get a major new £78m arts and theatre space - The Factory Manchester - in Allied London's St John's Quarter development at the former Granada Studios, but Manchester will also welcome another major new science institute at the University.
A pensive Osborne on the Metrolink last month
The near quarter of a billion pound Sir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials Research and Innovation will be developed in Manchester, alongside satellite branches in Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield, as part of Osborne's aim to create a 'Northern Powerhouse' to rival London's thriving economy.
It is hoped the new centre will allow the UK to grow its world-leading research base in advanced-materials science, including the development and commercialisation of graphene, the world's new 'wonder material' first discovered at Manchester University in 2004.
Tatton MP Osborne said during his Autumn Statement: "Scientific advance is a human endeavour worthy of support in its own right. It is also crucial to our economic future.
"In 2010, the UK was ranked fourteenth in the Global Innovation Index. Today we are ranked second. But we aim to be the best."
The new announcement comes only three months after Osborne confirmed a new £60m Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) for the university (due to open in 2017) to compliment the currently under-construction National Graphene Institute (NGI) - also at the Manchester University and due to open in Spring 2015.
The Graphene Institute will open next year
The University of Manchester’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, said: “This considerable investment in UK science – the largest single funding agreement in our University’s history – is testament to the outstanding research in advanced materials carried out in Manchester and at the new Institute’s partner organisations.”
Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Leese said: “This is a momentous announcement for Manchester and the UK, which underlines the University of Manchester's world-class credentials and adds significant momentum to the city's major role at the leading edge of global advanced material research.
"It's something for which we have long campaigned. The potential for the applications of such materials is vast and they will play a major part in realising the economic potential of Manchester, Greater Manchester and the North as a whole.”
*Sir Henry Royce famously met with Charles Rolls in Manchester's Midland Hotel in 1904 and founded the Rolls-Royce company.
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He won't admit it,but I bet Leese gets on his knees every night and prays Ed Balls isn't chancellor or Manchester will be lucky to get anything.
Have to agree! One day this Labour lot are celebrating the successes of what Labour Government did not care to achieve in thirteen years to in assisting what should of been their natural allegiance. Then national and local Labour criticise Osborne moments after photo shoots of hugging him, shaking his hand & fawning over Osborne promising a future economic powerhouse. Labour seem like a bunch of ditherers and hypocrites and sad to ask, I wonder which are more trustworthy in delivery?
One wonders what it must be like for Stringer and Leese and Joan and Kevin to be campaigning for Labour government to Manchester voters when you know it will stab your city in the back just as soon as it gets the opportunity.I don't understand how they can keep doing it year after year .after the record of the last Labour government shows it's totally a pro London institution
They even denied us the super casino for heavens sake! Manchester was abuzz back in the 1990s, then Labour got in, killed off that drive and took revenge for Manchester getting too close to John Major's Conservative government back then. (Did you know that they didn't even want to fund the Commonwealth Games initially, until a future London Olympic Games bid was considered.) Now expect a future Ed Balls as Chancellor to "wreak" a similar revenge on MCR for getting to close to his nemesis George Osborne!
I can't see Labour getting in can you? They don't even look business-like, apart from not being able to run a piss up in a brewery. Ed Balls looks like a camp comedian and well, "Balls" accurately describes what comes out of his mouth
Trouble is, they have a huge, loyal following, who won't be swayed.
This is true.If Labour get in we will get nothing like we did when they were in power for thirteen years. Milliband will be desperate to hold on to his new Southern friends. Crossrail two will be announced within half an hour of Balls in number eleven with money taken from HS2 to pay for it.This is a guarantee.
Boring David, very boring.
Who would ever have thought that the election of a Labour government would bring the wrath of the southern elite down on Manchester? The times they certainly are a-changing. Messrs Leese at al could join UKIP I suppose. Half of Labour voters seem to be doing that.