UK Silicon Valley plan that Michael Gove ‘flushed down toilet’ given new lease of life

Tom Waters, a senior economist at the IFS, says Hunt’s approach has been to freeze ‘everything he can get his hands on’

A project Michael Gove reportedly mimed being flushed down the toilet has been given a new lease of life by last week’s autumn statement.

Supporters believe a so-called “Oxford-Cambridge Arc” could bring billions into the economy by rivalling Silicon Valley. However, it was ditched as a priority when Boris Johnson’s administration concentrated on appealing to “red wall” voters in the north of England.

The Arc is a vision to create a British version of the Californian innovation and technology hub between the two university cities and their neighbour Milton Keynes, through investment in infrastructure, housing and laboratory space.