Dame Diana Johnson is calling on Labour to commit to regenerating towns and cities with “great untapped potential” to unlock economic growth, during a speech at the party’s conference in Liverpool. The MP Hull North also said “sustained” investment will be needed to back major redevelopments and large infrastructure projects.
“Upgrading infrastructure and getting well-paid jobs and spending power into a local economy creates a virtuous circle for further investment in housing, retail, leisure and services. But it doesn’t happen overnight.” She also said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s recent decision to scrap the Northern leg of HS2, without consulting political leaders in the region, shows he has little interest in levelling up in the North of England or devolution.