Levelling up is indeed vital, but it should not result in the levelling down of London
Dawn Butler is the Labour Party MP for Brent East
Yesterday’s Spending Review was a long time coming. After years of chaos and economic instability under the Tories, the Chancellor has set out a long-term vision for how our country can grow, prosper and deliver on its potential over the next three years.
Growth is at the heart of the Chancellor’s plan, and I welcome the investment in our NHS. This is in sharp contrast to the shopping list of unfunded commitments we saw from the previous government.
As a proud London MP and the Chair of the London Parliamentary Labour Party, I was watching closely to see what was in store for our capital city. London is the engine of the UK economy — we contribute over £40 billion a year to the national purse. When London succeeds, the whole country benefits and with the right support, London can be a powerful partner in delivering this Government’s growth mission which seeks to improve living standards and build a better future for all.
There was some good news for London in yesterday’s announcements. The most significant was a long-term funding deal for Transport for London. After years of short-termism and political games under the Tories, this Labour Government has finally given TfL the certainty it needs to invest in our transport system.
From upgrading ageing tube trains to improving signalling, this will help Londoners and visitors alike move around the capital more easily. It’s something the Mayor has been campaigning on for years — and I’m pleased we now have a government willing to listen.
I also welcome the £39 billion pledged for affordable housing. We don’t yet know how much of that will come to London, but we do know how desperately it’s needed. Right now, councils are spending £4 million every single day on temporary accommodation. That’s simply unsustainable and we need long-term solutions to address this.
But while there were positives, there were also missed opportunities.
There was no commitment to vital infrastructure projects like the DLR extension to Thamesmead, the Bakerloo Line extension, or the West London Orbital. These projects would have unlocked nearly 100,000 new homes and created thousands of new jobs, both in London and across the country given the breadth of TfL’s supply chain. If we’re serious about building 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament, then investing in these projects is essential. Of all the tube lines I use, the Bakerloo Line is the one which needs serious upgrades urgently.
And despite the planned 2.3% real-terms increase in police funding, there’s still real concern that the Met Police won’t have the resources it needs. Given the Met already has a funding shortfall, this increase simply may not be enough — and we risk seeing cuts to officer numbers at precisely the time we need more visible, community-rooted policing.
Perhaps most concerning of all, though, was the way this Spending Review was framed. The Chancellor’s speech focused on “redirecting” investment away from London and the South East, as though London’s success comes at the expense of the rest of the country. Pitting regions against each other is short-sighted and counterproductive. Politics can be done in a comradery way, that ensures we all benefit.
Levelling up is indeed vital, but it should not result in the levelling down of London. One should not be at the expense of the other. If we grow the pie, we can all get a bigger slice. So, my job as the MP for Brent East is to continue to lobby the Chancellor for more for London.
We need to recognise the important role London can and does play nationally. A capital city firing on all cylinders, properly supported by Government, can drive opportunity and prosperity across the entire country.
I am hugely ambitious for London – that’s why I will continue to stand up for our amazing city and our vital public services. We must preserve what makes London so special, and ensure our infrastructure is fit for the future. To achieve that, we need investment for growth.
Overall, this Spending Review had some encouraging signs — but to truly deliver on the promise of growth, the government needs a proper plan for London. We must ensure our infrastructure is fit for the future.
This is the moment to back investment in the capital that will unlock homes, create jobs, and fuel economic growth across the country.
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