Empower regional economies to thrive

The need for decisive action across the UK cannot be underestimated. 2019 productivity data shows great disparities across and within nations and regions. London is 55% more productive than the Yorkshire and Humber, and 61% more productive than Northern Ireland, impacting both living standards and wages. Yet, poverty rates continue to be higher in London than in any other region in the UK.

Each region has its own priorities, including historical investment, employment opportunities, education, transport and exports. Enabling regions to level up with access to the right funding, and the ability for areas to make local decisions, will make a real difference in closing the productivity gap.

Local leaders, working with their wider communities, are best placed to recognise an area’s strengths and development needs. Mayoral combined authorities provide long-term certainty for business investment and champion their region’s interests, nationally and internationally. But to guarantee no region falls behind, a long-promised framework for devolved power needs to be included in the Levelling Up White Paper. This must include clarity on future deals across England, but also on how areas can secure meaningful devolution and deliver growth.