Overshadowed by Coronavirus and Brexit, the Chancellor had limited room for specific announcements. He stuck to long term commitments and generalisations. Andy Street, the Tory Mayor of the West Midlands, got more mentions than social care or the North East of England.

In the North we continue to be the hardest hit. Newcastle has received the sixth worst cuts of any city. Slow growth in wages and productivity remains a problem. Weekly earnings are over £200 higher in London than the average in the North East. A green budget was needed to bring high-quality well-paid jobs to the North East, tackle regional inequality and address the climate emergency.