Calls for the government to improve infrastructure across East Anglia
A report by an All-Party Parliamentary Group found that rural economies could add £34 billion to the national economy
The Eastern Powerhouse group of business leaders is calling on the government to put more of it's time, effort and money into supporting rural economies like East Anglia.
It's after a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Rural Powerhouse found that the countryside is being held back due to poor infrastructure and could add £34 billion to the national economy.
James Palmer is the chair of the Eastern Powerhouse, which campaigns for more investment across the East of England.
He told us there's a clear way they can tackle both poor transport links and a lack of affordable housing, locally:
"I would call on Government to start looking seriously at rail network in the East, to start understand how improving it between Iqswich and Cambridge, along with Norwich and Cambridge will see significant benefit to the UK economy as a whole and allow us to build housing that is affordable".
Mr Palmer went on to say that decision-makers need to change how they think, not just how they dish out funding:
"If you ignore the countryside you ignore a massive economy. Our rural communities and rural businesses are just as important to the life-blood of our UK economy as anyone else.
"It's important that the work's been done but I think there has to be a sea-change within Whitehall and the Civil Service, in particular. To understand that the world doesn't begin and end in the city of London".
He's called on lawmarkers to act:
"The reports talks about a significant amount of money when we're looking at issues surrounding high-tax and issues surrounding the economy.
"So, Government really needs to wake up to this, the civil service needs to wake up to this and it's a solution that can be made"
"We have got to make sure that politicians are backed locally when they are speaking in Parliamentary committees on rural issues.
"They need to be backed us business and groups like us to make sure that their point is hitting home where decisions are being made, in the heart of the Government and Treasury".