AMBASSADORS for business in Bradford have met with the district’s politicians at the Houses of Parliament to discuss how the city can be brought to the top of the agenda on a range of important issues affecting the district.

Members of Bradford Breakthrough travelled to London for the meeting last week, where issues such as transport, education and the Bradford Odeon were discussed.

The delegation and politicians aimed to consider how they can pool together their collective influence and resources to promote Bradford.

The district’s MPs Naz Shah, Judith Cummins, Imran Hussain, Philip Davies and John Grogan attended the meeting, along with Peers from the district, and leader of Bradford Council Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe.

During the two hour meeting, a campaign to improve transport links in Bradford, including access to high-speed rail, was debated, along with ways to raise educational attainment levels in Bradford’s schools, the rebirth of the Odeon, and plans for a medical school at the University of Bradford.

Other topics included the possibility of Channel 4 being relocated to Bradford, devolution in Yorkshire, and the Well Bradford project, which aims to improve the health of the district’s citizens.

Following the meeting, Trevor Higgins, chief executive of Bradford Breakthrough, thanked business leaders from the district and the parliamentarians for helping to organise and attending the event.

He said: “This new approach will mean we can work together more closely in supporting the district’s economic and social wellbeing.

“I firmly believe that Bradford has turned the corner and that great things are happening right across the district so this is an opportune right time for us to come together to drive improvement still further.

“Bradford Breakthrough is the voice of big business for the Bradford district; our members include most of the district’s largest organisations.

“Our parliamentarians recognise the greater impact that can be made when they work collectively on behalf of their localities, where appropriate setting aside party political differences in pursuit of shared interests.

“Other cities have done this; we want to show Bradford can do even better.

“We firmly believe that, on selected issues, working as ‘Team Bradford’ we can make a much stronger pitch for Bradford and its people.”

John Grogan, Labour MP for Keighley, added: ‘If Bradford’s MPs and Peers bat together we can make sure our great city gets its fair share of attention and resources.

“Bradford means not just the city itself but the towns and villages of the Aire, Wharfe and Worth Valleys. Gaining a place for Bradford on the new trans-Pennine high-speed line is crucial but so is restoring the Skipton to Colne rail link which will allow-direct trains from Shipley , Bingley and Keighley to Manchester.”

The outcome of the meeting was unanimous support for closer work between Bradford’s politicians and businesses, and two urgent issues identified were the Bradford Medical School and the Odeon, which will be discussed at a meeting to be held in November.