POLITICS INSIDE


Lilian Greenwood, MP for Nottingham South, on the important domestic issues.


Strategy was also published, which will offer big opportunities to business communities in many regions and nations for the coming years. However, this good news was offset by the


concerning delays and cancellations in the rail electrification programme – to the dismay of both the BCC and Chamber firms across the country. Developing an infrastructure fit for the 21st


Century is crucial if the UK is to make the most of the opportunities that Brexit can provide. Failing to upgrade our rail network means that


it will take longer for firms to move their people and goods across the UK. The best deal from the European Union will


mean little if we don’t have the right infrastructure at home, and the Government risks appearing London-centric in its approach. The untapped potential of the regions and


nations of the United Kingdom must be front- and-centre over the coming weeks and months. Many voters went to the polls at the General


Election to register their dissatisfaction with the disconnect between the world of Westminster politics and our towns, cities and counties. As business communities are built fundamentally around place, Chambers of Commerce have a deep understanding of what holds back local growth. There is now a real, cross-party opportunity to


build a long-term Industrial Strategy that focuses on unleashing the potential of places, with all their natural advantages, all across the UK. We are continuing to lobby to ensure that this


remains at the heart of the programme for Government, along with greater freedom for local areas to develop their own innovative growth ideas. There are clear signs, especially in our


Quarterly Economic Survey results, that UK economic growth is beginning to soften. As I’ve often said, there is so much that


Government can and must do to ensure the fundamentals are in place for growth. The British Chambers of Commerce, and the East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), will work to ensure that your voice is heard, to make the business environment the best it can be. But the tone from Westminster is crucial.


Businesses are getting on with the task in hand, but they are not ignorant of what goes on. As parliament returns from recess, we go into


party conference season with the opportunity to shape a ‘business-friendly’ Brexit that addresses our economic interests and supports our two- way trade with the EU27. The Government must ensure that a thriving


economy is once again front-and-centre in the debate. Only by working together can business and Government deliver for Britain at a momentous time of transition and change.


Shifting the focus away from Brexit


I imagine every month’s Inside Westminster column could focus on Brexit. It’s clearly going to dominate UK politics for years to come and rightly so, given that the decision to leave the largest trading bloc in the world after more than 40 years is so momentous and has such far-reaching implications for our economy and wider society that it’s impossible to avoid. It is increasingly clear that the Government


has no answers to many vital questions and ministers struggle to explain how we can continue to enjoy frictionless trade outside the Customs Union and the Single Market. When MPs return to Westminster this month and begin debating the Repeal Bill, ministers can expect a tough time if they are still unable to provide clear and coherent answers and it’s vital that MPs hear from local businesses about their concerns as the debate continues. The focus on Brexit doesn’t mean there aren’t a plethora of important domestic issues


‘It’s deeply worrying that schools are already being forced to drop some subjects’


that also require attention. This month’s Business Network theme is education, an area which has been fiercely


debated in recent years. Having lost her majority, Theresa May has been forced to drop plans to reintroduce grammar schools but the introduction of a new National Funding Formula for schools remains a cause of grave concern. The impact of the formula varies across the region, with both winners and losers


among East Midlands local authority areas. At a time when ensuring that all our young people get the education and skills they


need to meet the demands of a changing labour market, reducing schools’ budgets will only make this harder. It’s deeply worrying that schools are already being forced to drop some subjects, increase class sizes and cut support for vital extra-curricula activities which help young people to succeed. Work experience, careers advice and links with businesses could also suffer, making it


more difficult for young people to understand the opportunities available and the qualifications and skills they need. Transport will continue to be one of my top priorities but I’m sure it’s also one shared


by many East Midlands businesses. The Government’s decision to scrap plans for the electrification of the Midland Main


Line north of Kettering was met with outrage in the region. This stop-start approach to infrastructure investment is bad for our economy and particularly for our region’s rail engineering industry and without good transport links, for both passengers and freight, our region will not fulfil its potential. I hope East Midlands MPs can work together with local stakeholders to challenge the


Government’s decision and ensure further investment in our regional transport networks, including the Eastern leg of HS2, is secure. I’m certainly looking forward to playing my part in scrutinising ministers’ plans in my new role as Chair of the Select Committee.


ABOUT LILIAN GREENWOOD Lilian Greenwood was elected as MP for Nottingham South in 2010, having previously been a UNISON organiser in the East Midlands. She campaigned for investment in the A453, Midland Main Line and the Nottingham Express Transit project before becoming a member of the Transport Select Committee. She joined the Shadow Transport team in 2011 as Shadow Local Transport Minister, in which role she was responsible for Labour’s policies on buses, walking and cycling, and she was made Shadow Rail Minister in January 2013. She retained the Transport brief when she was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet in September 2015 until her resignation in June 2016. In July 2017, Lilian was elected to the Chair of the Transport Select Committee.


business network September 2017 29


WESTMINSTER


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