The shadow chancellor will make the case for ‘deeper and broader’ economic devolution as Labour stresses the need for ‘more local powers’ over the economy.
In a speech to the Great Northern Conference in Manchester today, Rachel Reeves is expected to say: ‘We have been far too timid about economic devolution so, in the next Labour Government, [shadow communities secretary] Lisa Nandy 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.’
Ms Reeves will tell the conference 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 leader Sir Keir Starmer launched a ‘constitutional commission’ led by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown in December 2020 to look at transferring more powers from Westminster to local leaders but party advisers have been tight-lipped about its work.
This article was originally published by The MJ (£).
