Responding to publication of a new Cabinet statement on devolution, John Dickie, Chief Executive at BusinessLDN, said:
“Today’s Cabinet statement on devolution is welcome recognition by central government that Whitehall does not always know best or deliver best. This shift in mindset is vital to put an end to the status quo where regions have to go cap in hand to Whitehall rather than being empowered to stand on their own feet.
“The roll out of this new approach should move at the pace of the fastest, enabling those city-regions which have strong track records and administrative capacity – such as Manchester and London – to build on their established devolution settlements so they work better for local communities and businesses. This approach would help create a race to the top with all parts of the country striving to put in place the best conditions for growth.
“Given London’s high unemployment rate, particularly among young people, and rapid advances in technologies such as AI that are reshaping the labour market, moves to better join up skills and employment support are welcome. It’s important this is delivered in a way that is easy to navigate for young people, training providers and businesses, enabling a smoother transition from education to employment.
“The ambitions around devolution are deep, broad and have the potential to unleash growth throughout the United Kingdom. We look forward to working with central and London government to deliver this growth.”