Bedford MP pushes for Universal Studios project to be a priority
Mohammed Yasin MP, says they have met with Executives and followed up the meeting with a letter to Secretary of State Lisa Nandy
The MP for Bedford has met with Universal Studios executives to discuss the next steps in securing the proposed entertainment park project in Bedfordshire. Following the meeting, Mohammad Yasin, the Bedford MP, reported writing to Secretary of State Lisa Nandy to advocate for prioritising the Universal Studios development.
In the letter, Mr Yasin highlight the significance of the project, stating, "I am writing to you regarding the proposed Universal Studios entertainment park development in Bedfordshire which, as you will know, is a project of national significance to the UK economy. Universal has the potential to generate £35.1bn over the first 20 years of operations and with the Government taking an approximate additional £14.1bn in tax in the period, the total benefit would be approximately £49.2bn."
The letter also emphasised the job creation potential, noting, "It would also create vital long-term jobs both in Bedfordshire and across the region with over 8,000 people being employed directly by Universal." Mr Yasin argued that this development would be transformative for the East of England and demonstrate the Labour Government's commitment to economic growth.
Addressing the need for government support, Mr Yasin mentioned ongoing discussions with former Shadow Ministers and the necessity for significant infrastructure improvements, including road and rail networks. The letter stated, "We know that for this project to be successful significant infrastructure improvements are needed including to both our road and rail network, and the last Government were unable to agree a financial support package with Universal to allow the project to proceed."
Mr Yasin expressed confidence in the new Labour Government's ability to agree on a support package, concluding, "I am confident that a pro-business Labour Government will be able to agree a support package to ensure suitable infrastructure is put in place and I hope that this will be an early priority for this new Government. We know that such projects can take years to complete and it's important that the process is not delayed due to the many priorities the Government will need to make progress on nationally."