Starmer criticises Government's 'lack of vision' in 'Levelling Up' agenda while on Burnley visit
Sir Kier Starmer is questioning why it has taken 12 years for areas like Burnley to receive substantial investment
The Leader of the Labour party says the Government isn't doing enough to support communities in Lancashire.
With Parliament in recess, Sir Kier Starmer is currently touring the North of England and the Midlands, taking his "contract with the British people" directly to voters.
Starmer visited a plastic fabrication factory in Burnley, where he criticised the 'lack of ambition' in the Government's levelling up agenda.
The leader of the opposition also questioned why the Government is only acting now.
"The Government's been in power for 12 years now, so coming to a place like Burnley and saying after 12 years in power they're finally going to get round to putting some money in is insulting, frankly", said Sir Kier.
"Whatever money can be put in is welcome, but we need a Government that matches the ambition of the people here in Burnley and the surrounding areas. They want a Government that's alongside them with the ambition. What we, the Labour Party, have said is that we have a package of £28 million a year of the next generation of jobs.
"We want a buy, make and sell policy in Britain, which means that jobs will be local and we want to deal with business rates to make our high-street thriving again. 'Levelling Up' will only happen if the scale of the plan that goes in matches with the ambition of the people in Burnley and the North West.
"The Government have come to this far too late. They're 12 years into power now. Whilst any money they're putting in to places like Burnley is a good thing, the scale is nothing like what we need."
It’s hoped the Governments ‘Levelling Up’ agenda will help local business get the staff they need following a major conference in Liverpool.
Local council leaders, metro mayors and heads of industry met up to hear how Michael Gove intends to boost northern communities.
Debbie Francis, who is the head of the Local Enterprise Partnership in Lancashire, was there and she says the main thing levelling up could do is fix the skills shortage.
"Skills an resource are a really big issue for us. We have fantastic universities and colleges in the area, but every business I go to visit is currently facing the same difficulty and that's a shortage on skill and a shortage on resources. We do really need to address that," said Debbie Francis.
"I am heartened by the fact that a huge amount of what I hear is real alignment across the Northern leaders. What you hear from them is a real alignment in collective voice to say 'actually, we sort of need this'.
"They are part-way through negotiating the County deal now. I think it's fantastic. It's the first time all of authorities have managed to come together in an agreement on this. There's still an awful lot that they're going to work through, but they have a programme team together and everybody's really optimistic about it.
"The big question will be 'when will be the time that we can get this done for'?, but obviously the levelling at White Paper has stated that everybody who wants a devolution deal, a County deal is what we're looking at in Lancashire, should be able to have this in place by 2030. I'd hope we get our a little bit sooner, but I think it's a great opportunity."
"It's not enough to just leave the EU and think the job is done"
A Labour government would back businesses to "buy, make and sell in Britain", the party's leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The Labour leader also stressed the need to "make Brexit work", after having said that he would not seek to re-enter the EU if Labour came to power.
Criticising the Government for not investing in manufacturing jobs across the UK, Sir Keir said: "It's not enough to just leave the EU and think the job is done: we must now make Brexit work. That means backing the places that powered our country to get our economy motoring again.
"For too long the decline of manufacturing has been treated as if it was inevitable and irreversible. I will never accept that. But these figures show how the Government's failure to back British business has led to a shocking decline in the number of jobs."
In an analysis of ONS data, Labour claims that the number of jobs in manufacturing fell by 93,000 between the end of 2009 and the end of 2021.
This includes 16,000 jobs lost in the North of England and 18,500 jobs lost in the Midlands. Between 2010 and 2020, Germany added nearly one million manufacturing jobs.
Ahead of a visit to Burnley on the second day of his tour, Sir Keir added: "The next Labour government would support our manufacturers with practical plans to buy, make and sell in Britain.
"We would be as ambitious for towns and cities across the country as they are for themselves, investing in skills, technology, and quality jobs - so that people once again feel the benefits of British industry.
"This is personal to me. My dad was a toolmaker, so I know the pride that comes with creating and building things - and the pain felt when the Tories dismantle that hard work.
"That's why it's a crucial part of my contract with the British people, which will build a new Britain that guarantees security, prosperity and respect for all."