During her address to the Great Northern Conference today
(Wednesday), and informed by the work being led by Shadow
Levelling up Secretary , will argue how the devolution
of economic powers are a “critical ingredient” in growing the
industries of the future across the north.
It follows the government’s Autumn Statement last week,
criticised by the Labour party for failing on two key tests – on
making “fairer choices” and putting forward a proper plan for
growth.
The CBI has also said Jeremy Hunt has no “plan for
growth”, while the Chairman of Tesco John Allan recently said
that Labour is only party with plausible growth plan.
Labour has accused the Tories’ Autumn Statement of “holding back”
Britain and the North’s potential, with OBR forecasts showing
living standards will be worse at the end of this parliament than
at the start, and that growth will remain on the floor.
The Shadow Chancellor’s address is informed by the work being led
by Shadow Levelling up Secretary and Gordon Brown’s Commission on
the UK's Future, which looks to set out how Labour will offer a
prospectus for real levelling up - an agenda for a greener,
fairer Britain in which towns and cities across the north of
England play their part.
Speaking at the Great Northern Conference in Manchester,
Reeves is expected to say:
“We have been far too timid about economic devolution.
“So, in the next Labour government, and I will ensure that economic
devolution is both deeper and broader. This will give communities
more control over their future and enable them to contribute more
to our country's economic growth.
“And broader so our cities, towns and rural areas don’t only have
the means to go it alone but to work together to tackle the
challenges they face.
“Gordon Brown will soon be launching the report of his Commission
on the UK's Future. Informed by Gordon’s work and by the
contribution of regional and local leaders all around the country
the next Labour government will offer a prospectus for real
levelling up - an agenda for a greener, fairer Britain in which
towns and cities across the north of England play their part.”
Labour’s Shadow Chancellor is also expected to press
home how:
“None of this can be done with the pull of a lever from
Whitehall. If we want towns and cities across Britain to lead in
the growth industries if they are to create the environment in
which those businesses can thrive they will need the tools to do
so.
“We have one of the most centralised states in Europe. And we
have one of the most centralised economies too with too much
economic growth, wealth and opportunity concentrated in too few
parts of the country. That’s not a coincidence.”
And she will underline the importance of Labour’s Green
Prosperity Plan for boosting growth and creating good jobs across
the north of England:
“Many of the most deprived communities and regions in the UK are
also those most exposed to the effects of climate change.
“But many of these same regions are ideally placed to lead in
renewable energies and the new industries that will power our
climate transition. The communities which powered Britain’s first
industrial revolution can power the next.
“That is why the north of England is so central to Labour’s Green
Prosperity Plan: Electric battery factories in the North East and
the North West. Clean steel with jobs in Rotherham, Sheffield and
Scunthorpe. And carbon capture and storage in Humberside, in
Teesside, and in Merseyside. Good, secure work. Opportunity
shared widely. And industries in which communities can take
pride.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
- Labour’s Shadow Chancellor will be introduced by Lord
at the Great Northern
Conference and will speak at 1.30pm University Academy 92’ in
Manchester.
