“I am the Jordan Henderson of Government, helping businesses to put the ball in the back of the net” - the words of business secretary Jonathan Reynolds who made the unusual analogy during a speech in central London to traders from the motor industry.
Born in Sunderland and brought up in Houghton-le-Spring, Mr Reynolds became part of the Government’s cabinet following Labour’s election success last summer (2024).
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has compared himself to fellow Mackem Jordan Henderson.placeholder image
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has compared himself to fellow Mackem Jordan Henderson. | Contributed
Fellow Mackem Jordan made 71 appearances for his home city club before going on to enjoy a stellar career with Liverpool and winning 84 caps for England, the latest of which came earlier this month (June) against Andorra.
Addressing the Society of Motor Manufacturers, Mr Reynolds said: “I like to be - and bear with me here - the Jordan Henderson of Government - a fellow Mackem hero.
“Dictating the pace of play, protecting the back line, making the passes forward to give businesses the best opportunity to put the ball into the net.
“That’s our goal, as the Government. On the pitch, working hard, always making sure the ball goes to the right place, but fundamentally facilitating other people’s success.”
Mr Reynolds said the Government’s plan sets out how the UK will “solidify itself as the best place in the world to start, to grow and to invest in advanced manufacturing”.
He added: “That means an ambition to nearly double the annual business investment in the sector by 2035.
“In an automotive context, that means growing our output to over 1.3 million vehicles by 2035, helping to stabilise and grow our supply chain.
“Now that’s a huge task. Previous governments would not have had this level of ambition, but we know it is well within your grasp.”
Jordan Henderson currently plays for Dutch giants Ajax, but following the Black Cats return to the Premier League, there is speculation he could be about to return to the Stadium of Light.
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