Feature: Former rival cities York, Lancaster pledge to closely cooperate

Five hundred years ago, the dynastic families of Lancaster and York were embroiled in a 30-year war for the throne of England.

With Lancashire's emblem of a red rose, and Yorkshire's white rose, the family squabble became known as the Wars of the Roses.

Even today when rival sporting teams from the two northern England regions are engaged in a game, it is invariably referred to as the "Roses' clash."

Now the two great rival regions of the north are having to put their rivalries aside to ensure the success of Chancellor George Osborne's Northern Powerhouse program to address the so-called north-south economic divide.

The process took a large step forward Thursday when the leaders of five great cities in the north signed a pledge to work closer together.

Liverpool and Manchester from the Lancashire side of the country have agreed to collaborate with the Yorkshire cities of Leeds and Sheffield. The fifth signatory of a new accord is the northeast England city of Newcastle.

The leaders of the five cities of the North have signed a commitment pledging to put aside old rivalries and agreeing to work together with the national government.

The aim is to enable newly devolved powers, announced by Osborne, being used in a "coherent, collaborative way" to tackle key challenges across a number of specific policy areas.

The five signatories of the statement also committed to working together to ensure the North has "the skills, housing and enterprise development base to support growth."

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Closer links will enable the great northern cities compete not against each other but together at scale on a national and international stage. Through sustained focus on this agenda we can unlock more jobs and increased prosperity. That is the prize. It won't happen overnight but we are all determined to deliver it."

Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said a collaborative approach could help to "drive much needed economic growth," helping to create "vital jobs for the cities of the North."

Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes said: "City leaders across the North are determined to create a stronger economy shaped by the values of those who live and work here."

The mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson and Julie Dore, leader of Sheffield City Council, also signed the Northern Powerhouse commitment.

Osborne, in his annual spending budget on Wednesday announced major measures to consolidate the Northern Powerhouse agenda. It included improving rail and roads links between Lancashire and Yorkshire, and handing more devolved powers to the big cities. Endit