Starmer promises to relax Whitehall’s control over cities and regions

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised to loosen Whitehall’s “tight grip” over Britain’s big cities and regions as he met with England’s mayors at Number 10 on Tuesday.

Sir Keir stated that meeting with all metro mayors was a priority in his first week of office.

He emphasized, “By resetting these crucial relationships and giving more power to local leaders, I am committed to ensuring they have the necessary support to contribute to economic growth nationwide.”

During the meeting, he informed the mayors, “I understand that many of you have existing growth plans—some of which you have shared, and that’s great. Our aim is to enhance those with a genuine partnership where you feel that the government is standing by you, supporting your efforts.”

The prime minister also mentioned, “I believe this is the inaugural meeting of its kind at Downing Street.

“I don’t think all metro mayors have gathered here like this, so this is a significant first, which is positive.”

The meeting was attended by 11 mayors from across England in person, with Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard absent due to illness.

Among those present were Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, West Midlands Metro Mayor Richard Parker, Mayor of the West of England Dan Norris, Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, and Tees Valley Mayor Lord Ben Houchen.

All except Lord Houchen are members of the Labour Party.

‘Tightly Gripped Control’

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner remarked, “For too long, Westminster has tightly controlled and limited opportunities and potential for towns, cities, and villages across the UK.

“This has led to misguided decisions negatively impacting working people’s lives, while local elected leaders are forced to plead for support from Whitehall.

“It’s time to regain control, and this new government is dedicated to unlocking that potential, initiating a complete reset of our relationship with local government.

“This all starts with mature discussions with our regional mayors to implement changes that aid in delivering local economic growth through improved housing, education, and employment opportunities for local residents.”

Ms. Rayner also confirmed the removal of the term “levelling up” from her department’s title, renaming it the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government.

After the meeting, the mayors were transported from Downing Street to the Palestra building in Southwark for a follow-up meeting on an electric London bus.

All attendees, except Lord Houchen, joined Sir Keir on the bus.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has cautioned of a funding gap of over £6 billion in the local authority sector in the next two years.

Following the recent election, LGA Chair Louise Gittins stated, “It is crucial that we find a sustainable and long-term financial solution, along with the appropriate powers and mechanisms, to meet the priorities of the new government.”

She added, “We are entering a period of significant change but also opportunity, and my immediate focus is collaborating with the new government on a fundamental reset of the relationship between central and local government, based on trust and mutual respect.”

Over the weekend, Sir Keir visited the devolved administrations across Britain, spending time in Scotland on Sunday where he met SNP First Minister John Swinney.

The following day, he held meetings with political leaders at Stormont in Northern Ireland and The Senedd in Wales, including the first ministers of the respective nations, Michelle O’Neill and Vaughan Gething.

PA Media contributed to this report.