On London Extra: Conference convos
Labour chat from Liverpool. Plus Oxford Street (again), life science sector growth, ULEZ criminals, Wimbledon decision and Sadiq succession speculation
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Rather predictably, there seemed to be more media coverage of the subdued mood at the Labour conference than of policy direction and purpose. I wasn't in Liverpool last week - I have a London journalism website to run, you see - but I know people who were. I've been extracting from them the impressions they formed of the new government's view of the capital and any announcements they think will be of particular help here.
One source, a senior figure at City Hall, was pretty upbeat, stressing a generally improved attitude to London compared to that of the Conservatives, with the city seen as "part of the solution, not part of the problem". The sincerity of Keir Starmer's well-advertised post-election promise to work closely with England's Mayors, including Sadiq Khan, was felt to be in evidence.
There was a warm welcome for the PM's announcement of reform and new flexibilities for the apprenticeship system, which will see the current apprenticeship levy replaced. The number of apprenticeships in London is low compared with the rest of England - the number started has actually fallen since 2017.
I'm told there were also "hints of fiscal devolution", meaning London government having more control over how taxes raised in London are made use of. This is something Boris Johnson called for when he was Mayor and Sadiq Khan has advocated too. Could it, at least in part, at long last be on its way?
Not bad, then, in terms of London vibes and indicators. But, as everyone knows, we will have to wait for Rachel Reeves's budget on 30 October for solid signs of delivery substance on big national policy themes and how London is might benefit from them.
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