Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer - why I am devolving more powers to Richard Parker, mayor for the West Midlands

The Prime Minister today announced a new devolution settlement in England, which will give more powers to regional mayors, such as the West Midlands' Richard Parker. Writing exclusively for the Express & Star, he outlines why.

Just a few days after Labour won the General Election in July, I invited every regional mayor to Downing Street – Labour or Tory. It was a statement of intent. 

After decades of power-hoarding from national governments, I was determined to reset the relationship between Westminster and the great cities, towns and counties of England. And today I set out a vision that delivers on that ambition with a plan to unlock the potential of every corner of our country. 

Because first and foremost, this is about economic growth. Putting money in the pocket of working people - wherever they live in Britain - is the number one priority in the Government’s Plan for Change.

But devolution is a crucial for realising this mission. After all, England is one of the most centralised countries in the world. And it’s no coincidence that a political system which hoards power goes hand-in-hand with an economy that hoards potential. It's common sense – people with skin in the game make better decisions about their communities. They know their patch. They understand the problems. And they’re best placed to deliver the solutions their community and our country needs. 

So what does devolution mean in the West Midlands?

It means more control and democracy – decisions about your high street, your economy, your services, no longer in the hands of Westminster politicians. It means a simpler and more efficient way of doing politics – less bureaucracy and fewer politicians. It means strong new powers for your mayor in housing, planning, transport, energy, skills and employment support, backed up with the funding they need to deliver.  And it means the end of a destructive “Westminster knows best” mentality, which tries to pit councils against one another or micro-manages local decisions. 

Take transport. The mayor of London has long enjoyed sweeping transport powers that allow the full integration of rail, bus, tube and tram services. This has led to London having one of the best public transport systems in the world, with bus services typically cheaper than other parts of England. As part of our vision – those powers will belong to every mayor in the country including in the West Midlands, to support the hard work that mayor Richard Parker is already doing to improve public transport for everybody. 

Or take skills.  Every city, region or country in this country has a distinctive local economy. In Wolverhampton, we know that services, car manufacturing and engineering are vital for business and growth. The question is who is best placed to decide the employment support and skills policies which work for the West Midlands? The mayor, Richard Parker, who is meeting with local businesses day in day out? Or bureaucrats in Whitehall who might visit once a year if you are lucky?

The answer is obvious - to boost growth, mayors and councils in the West Midlands need the power to train people for good local jobs and boost businesses. This plan will give them that. But it may also start to repair the broken contract between people and politics. As I said on the steps of Downing Street when first elected, people want action not words. Time and again, they have made it clear they want more control over their lives and their communities. And time and again, they’ve been let down by politicians who talk lots and deliver little. Never more so than with the previous government’s now infamous “levelling up” slogan. 

Today, we close the door firmly on that kind of politics. This is a landmark moment – the biggest transfer of power out of Westminster for a century. Yet it is a quiet revolution, not a noisy one. A practical plan that will put money in your pocket and unlock your community’s potential. But more importantly, that will change our country from the grassroots up, by trusting the West Midlands to take control of its story once more.

Because it wasn’t some central planner in Whitehall who built the iron and steel works of the Black Country. And it wasn’t a Westminster politician who made Staffordshire pottery famous around the world. Of course, central government must always provide a strong foundation and a clear direction for the nation. But the local pride that fires the potential of the West Midlands has never been in the gift of national politicians or Prime Ministers. Rather it is built up over the decades by the people, businesses and workers of a community. In short, we recognise that success depends upon a partnership. 

Today, we launch a new plan to give the West Midlands more power and control over its future. But more importantly we turn the page on our national story. And commit to writing the next chapter together.

Keir Starmer, Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party