As she prepares to open Labour's conference in Liverpool on
Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister has today committed to
deliver devolution across the whole of the North, turbocharging
growth in Britain's northern heartlands.
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local
Government has confirmed that this Labour government “will be the
government that completes devolution in the North”.
This week, Rayner announced agreements that have completed
devolution in the four corners of Yorkshire. The Northern jigsaw
has moved a step closer to completion in this next wave of
devolution deals, with the new government minded to agree
arrangements with Lancashire, Greater Lincolnshire, Hull and East
Yorkshire.
The former Conservative government has been criticised for its
lack of ambition, inconsistency, and delay in its approach to
devolution, which Rayner says is down to the Conservatives'
obsession with Westminster-centric politics and “a sheer refusal
to let those with skin in the game make the decisions about the
place they live.”
At this year's Annual Conference the party will set out how the
Labour Government will fix the foundations as a rock-solid
platform from which to rebuild Britain, after the Conservatives
left a £22 billion black hole in the economy, wasted billions of
pounds on headline-grabbing gimmicks, and beat the hope out of
the country.
The government will also release this year's funding for two
Investment Zones, delivering high quality jobs and attracting
private sector investment, focusing on advanced manufacturing in
the West Midlands and life sciences in West Yorkshire.
Investment Zones have been established in a number of Combined
Authorities in England, combining tax incentives and flexible
funding for research and development, skills, business support,
local infrastructure and planning.
Labour's manifesto pledged to transfer power out of Westminster
and into our communities, with landmark legislation to allow
communities to take back control.
The Government committed to bringing forward an English
Devolution Bill in the King's Speech to deliver that manifesto
pledge.
, Deputy Prime Minister and
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government,
speaking ahead of her speech opening Labour Conference,
said:
“For 14 years, the over-centralised Westminster-knows-best
attitude of the Tories left millions of people left behind,
neglected, ignored, and invisible. Britain's economy has been
held back and dragged down by their failed trickle-down
experiment.
“This Labour Government will harness the potential in our
economy, handing power back and putting communities in control,
so innovation and growth can bloom in every part of the country.
“Our devolution revolution will shift power away from
Westminster, reigniting the fires of our economy, unleashing
investment, and driving economic growth by trusting in our local
leaders who know their areas best.
“I have seen how in my own patch, devolution has put rocket fuel
under local pride. We have the power to do things in a
Manchester-way, but we want to support other communities to do
things their own way. This is about restoring trust in politics
and respecting people with skin in the game to make decisions for
their own area.
“We will be the government that completes devolution in the
North. This shift will change the future of the North of England
like nothing else. Northerners will no longer be dictated to from
Whitehall. The change will be irreversible, there is no going
back and I will get it done.”
Ends
Notes:
- Mayoral agreements reached with Greater Lincolnshire and Hull
& East Yorkshire: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8xepkjn841o
- All four corners of Yorkshire now covered with a mayoral
devolution deal.
- For Devon & Torbay and Lancashire, combined county
authorities will be established in early 2025 handed the
responsibility for adult education. Ministers are encouraging
local leaders to deepen these devolution deals and take strides
towards mayoral devolution as a gold standard.
- Funding for two Investment Zones, which will deliver high
quality jobs and private sector investment in the West Midlands
(£5.8m) and West Yorkshire (£5.1m).
- A decision on the future of the Investment Zone programme
beyond the year 1 funding already released to places in England
will be taken at the October budget and multi-year SR.
