Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves visits the Yorkshire Coast
She's been talking to hospitality and leisure businesses
Last updated 26th Jul 2023
The Shadow Chancellor says there has to be further ways to attract people on the Yorkshire Coast to stay and work.
Labour's Rachel Reeves visited Scarborough yesterday and Filey today to speak to businesses about their needs.
She went to Haven Primrose Valley Holiday Park earlier saying they are bucking the trend, and had chats with caravan owners, holiday makers and staff who have developed their careers in the industry.
The Labour Party says the visit highlighted the importance of the domestic holiday sector to UK growth, skills and employment.
The Shadow Chancellor said: "It's that commitment to skills and training which for me is really important because I want more people who grew up in coastal communities to feel that they can stay here to progress, get on in life and have a job that can support themselves and their family.
"We do need reforms to things like the apprenticeship levy to make it easier for businesses and also, I want to see more devolving of funding for skills training because I believe local leaders and local communities have a better idea of what's needed, rather than some central planning through Westminster and Whitehall.
"While employment across the country has risen in the last 10 years, employment in seaside and coastal communities has actually fallen and that's because people feel they need to move away to get on in life. Now, what I've seen today is that doesn't have to be the case but for many people that's how it feels.
"I would like to see our coastal communities thrive and grow and provide more fantastic holidays for families across the UK, and many people want to choose seaside towns and coastal communities in Britain for their holidays and we need to give more reasons to make that positive choice to holiday here in the UK.
"Of course, I welcome any support and funding for communities across the Yorkshire Coast but I think the model of this sort of 'hunger games' type bidding wars between communities is not the right way to fund investment. I don't think that's the right way to treat towns and to run an economy."