Our landmark English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill has its second reading in the Commons …

For too long, power and opportunity has been centralised in Westminster and Whitehall, holding back growth in places like Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton and denying millions of people across the country the opportunity to realise the potential we know they have.

Our new approach to devolution and empowerment begins the work of fixing that:

powering up our regions through 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 and the right to request, as well as new powers, resources and freedoms

introducing measures to fix local government and its fragile audit regime through 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

giving real power to communities through the 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁-𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀, rooted in our high streets, neighbourhoods and sporting grounds, and

giving frontline ward councillors the respect, power and tools they need to make a difference in their communities through 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹

It was great to close Second Reading of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill by making it clear: ownership matters – and this Bill puts that power in the hands of the local community.

Promoting community ownership and fighting for good jobs has been at the core of everything we have been doing since the election. Through our work locally to save Oldham Coliseum, restore West End Street pitches, and secure both Boundary Park and the Daisyfield Inn as Assets of Community Value; we have consistently fought for more local ownership of local venues.

Through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s work to use devolved powers to improve local transport though the creation, expansion & integration of the Bee Network; Labour in power locally has spent years fighting for more good quality and better paid jobs for local people.

This Bill is about building on these successes to empower devolved bodies and local communities to be able to do more and spread enable these successes around England.

When we said this was a top-to-bottom transfer of power, we meant it. A top to bottom redistribution of power from Westminster to communities, councils and mayors as part of our plan for change.

Real power to grow economies, build homes, deliver better transport, skills and community ownership