麻豆社

When politicians and business leaders talk about a 鈥楴orthern Powerhouse鈥�, they often speak of connected cities, faster trains, and academic and creative hubs.

But will any of this matter if school children in the north are getting a worse education than those in the south? The former Chancellor George Osborne says 鈥榥o鈥�.

A report from his think tank, the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, says that schools in the north are 鈥渦nderperforming鈥� 鈥� and that northern pupils are one GCSE grade behind comparable pupils in the South.

In this podcast, Osborne calls for more government funding for education, saying we need 鈥渕ore ambition鈥�. But critics have questioned his own record in this area, pointing to his austerity budgets and the closure of Sure Start centres during his time as Chancellor.

(Image: George Osborne Credit: Getty Images)